- Dec 2, 2014
- 140
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Bullying birds help please! I have a 6x2 pen, with a tibetan tuxedo roo, english white roo, five italian hens, a tibetan hen and a fawn hen.
They have a big long to hop over/perch on/run under (they do all three), mealworms to forage for in the morning, a big sand bath, and a round feeder with multiple feeding holes to reduce squabbling.
The tib roo is not coming into breeding condition (a tiny bit of foam and I've seen him crowing, but that's it); the white is fully active. The fawn hen has had the top of her head pecked bald and there is dried blood on there too.
Thoughts? Do they need more space? They will have an 11'x5' aviary soon (4'x5' of that will be indoor space), but it won't be ready for a few weeks yet, possibly longer. Is the white roo keeping the tib roo from coming into condition? Is it likely to be one of the other hens pecking at the fawn? My italians are half jumbos, and the fawn is a skittish little thing.
Should I separate her and the tib roo to another pen until the aviary is ready? I have one on standby, I just don't want to split unless it's necessary as it took a while to get this group together (originally was tib roo, fawn and tibetan hens introduced to the rest but minimal pecking once I finally put them together).
They have a big long to hop over/perch on/run under (they do all three), mealworms to forage for in the morning, a big sand bath, and a round feeder with multiple feeding holes to reduce squabbling.
The tib roo is not coming into breeding condition (a tiny bit of foam and I've seen him crowing, but that's it); the white is fully active. The fawn hen has had the top of her head pecked bald and there is dried blood on there too.
Thoughts? Do they need more space? They will have an 11'x5' aviary soon (4'x5' of that will be indoor space), but it won't be ready for a few weeks yet, possibly longer. Is the white roo keeping the tib roo from coming into condition? Is it likely to be one of the other hens pecking at the fawn? My italians are half jumbos, and the fawn is a skittish little thing.
Should I separate her and the tib roo to another pen until the aviary is ready? I have one on standby, I just don't want to split unless it's necessary as it took a while to get this group together (originally was tib roo, fawn and tibetan hens introduced to the rest but minimal pecking once I finally put them together).