Bullying Issue Need Help

[gltrap54]

I have 6 Golden Comet hens that I bought from the hatchery in March of 2010. Yesterday one hen didn't come out to greet me & I found her huddled in the corner on the dropping board. She must have slept there, because she had poo on her back from the others roosting above her........ I sat her down on the coop floor to eat & drink & she did until two of the other hens attacked her! What's going on here? Why are they attacking her & how should I handle it?

 

[ChicKat]

Isolate the one that is being attacked. It may be that she is ill. Watch her carefully.

Make sure that your chickens have all their needs met so that they aren't picking on this chicken due to something like boredom or being caged too closely together for too long???

Maybe someone else on the forum will give you ideas.

 

[gltrap54]

Thanks ChicKat for your response! I will isolate her & see what developes...

My DW says I'm operating the chicken equivalent of the Taj Mahal!

 

[marthat]

I have a similar problem. I just got my first chickens 2 days ago, Three Delawares from the flock of 14 that I have been sharing care of with my neighbours, and three RIR's from another friend. The Delawares are younger, just starting to lay in the past month, where the RIR's have been laying for about 4 months already. But the RIR's are slightly smaller. One of the little RIR's is being bullied by the Delawares. She cowers in corners, appears unable to get to the treats I put out, and the first night, she ended up roosting on a different place than the other chickens. Tonight she is on the roost with the others, but I saw the Delaware hen peck at her when I went out to check on them.

Because they are all new, I have them confined to the coop and run for a few days to acclimatize before I start allowing them to free-range around my yard. So the problem is even worse right now.

Any ideas?

 

[galanie]

Usually you have one that is The Bully and the others just follow along. To ensure peace forever more, get the bully out of there rather than the one being bullied. Of course if one is injured it needs to be able to recuperate but observe them and see if you can tell if there's one in particular that's bad about bullying. That one needs a week in isolation. If that doesn't solve it, rehoming is in order. Life is too short to put up with that.

 

[gltrap54]

Thanks galanie! Sooo........ It's the bully that I need to isolate .... I'm on it!

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks ChicKat for your response! I will isolate her & see what developes...

My DW says I'm operating the chicken equivlant of the Taj Mahal!

Taj Mahal....I love it...Pretty chickens too!

 

[marthat]

What does "isolation" look like? Stuck in a box? Another coop? Haven't got one of those!

 

[gltrap54]

Here's my version of isolation.........

 

[gltrap54]

Couldn't decide who the ringleader was because I saw all three hens attack her, so I put all three in jail...... Don't know how this will end...

Below are the two hens being attacked.....






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