Chicken bullying

[mldlm]

I have 6 hens. My head hen (white leghorn) is making it her life’s mission to harass my sole speckled sussex. My speckled has gone broody and so, I go out and take her off the nest four or five times a day . When my speckled gets taken out into the run and put up on a roost, my head hen basically finds a way to get to her and peck her. I am thinking of putting the top hen in “chicken jail” to knock her down a peg in the pecking order, but not sure how and if this is the right approach. Dealing with trying to break a broody and stopping a bully (my head hen does not pick on anyone else, she just seems to have a personal vendetta), I could use some input or ideas. Thanks!

 

[tripletfeb]

I think putting her in chicken jail for a few days could work. If it doesn't you could try pinless peepers. I've used them in the past and they work great

 

[aart]

Are you trying to break the broody one?
Its not unusual to have flock members go after a broody because they are acting 'off'.

 

[Pamelasflock]

Was searching this morning for a current forum for chicken jail. I have one barred rock, Charlotte, in the slammer now. Been trying to incorporate 11 6 week olds for short periods a day… the other hens just do their normal pecking order stuff if they’ve had enough. Charlotte makes it her job to be ferocious and attack the babies. I know it’s a process but she’s just rude. She’s been in jail for 24 hours and my plan is to unjail her after 48. I just ordered pinless peepers too for back up from Amazon. I felt bad putting her in jail but I want all of them happy. I just built a new 8x4x6coop for them with lots of roosting bars and nesting boxes. I’m hoping moving that in replacing the old smaller one will help and create a distraction. I do let the 3 older hens (only a year old) out to free range during the day. ( except not Charlotte right now because she’s locked up)They were my first little flock last year and I got addicted. 11 new this year. Can’t wait until they can all free range. How long before the 6 week olds can venture out to free range? I usually only let them out if I am home and the older ones are great staying near the barnyard. Also… regarding chicken jail… will 48 hours be enough and is it mean to release her from jail after I get the peepers on her to make sure she sees her world different? Lol or should I just release her from jail and see what happens without peepers first? Decisions decisions.

 

[tripletfeb]

Was searching this morning for a current forum for chicken jail. I have one barred rock, Charlotte, in the slammer now. Been trying to incorporate 11 6 week olds for short periods a day… the other hens just do their normal pecking order stuff if they’ve had enough. Charlotte makes it her job to be ferocious and attack the babies. I know it’s a process but she’s just rude. She’s been in jail for 24 hours and my plan is to unjail her after 48. I just ordered pinless peepers too for back up from Amazon. I felt bad putting her in jail but I want all of them happy. I just built a new 8x4x6coop for them with lots of roosting bars and nesting boxes. I’m hoping moving that in replacing the old smaller one will help and create a distraction. I do let the 3 older hens (only a year old) out to free range during the day. ( except not Charlotte right now because she’s locked up)They were my first little flock last year and I got addicted. 11 new this year. Can’t wait until they can all free range. How long before the 6 week olds can venture out to free range? I usually only let them out if I am home and the older ones are great staying near the barnyard. Also… regarding chicken jail… will 48 hours be enough and is it mean to release her from jail after I get the peepers on her to make sure she sees her world different? Lol or should I just release her from jail and see what happens without peepers first? Decisions decisions.

You can try just releasing her after the 48 hours and see how she does. Don't feel bad putting the pinless peepers on her if you have to. I've had them on two of my girls before, one had them on for over a year. They both did good with them on. Always solve for peace of the flock

 

[Pamelasflock]

I am in shock. Went out after work… I work from home and go out several times a day to visit my chickens and ducks. Charlotte .. the jailbird… was pacing back and forth in her jail cell looking all sorts of cra cra. When I first put her in yesterday morning she paced a little but eventually laid down or got on her mini jail perch. This morning she seemed settled. Lunch she was still just trying to figure out with. lol then after work she was literally crazy. Figured maybe I’d see how she’d do out 12 hours shy of 48. Mainly because I am a softee and felt bad. Kinda like when I would let my kids off grounding a day early as a surprise. Lol. Oh. My. Gosh. She let 11 babies walk by her and sat there and looked at them. One of my year old cinnamon queens is now the top girl. That transition is fast. Wow. Just wow. Amazing tool. I warned her she’s getting spectacles from Amazon Thursday and I’m not afraid to use them. Lol. But I am digging the jail thing to reorder. Now she has a sad face on… and I do feel bad for her but… I need cohesiveness. She will be happier not being such a little witch I hope. I’ll see how they are when I go out to make sure all went in the coop. As soon as char got out of jail she ran in the coop and laid sn egg. Maybe that’s why she was pacing.

 

[Evadig]

I have a chicken just like that and jail does her zero good. Glad to hear that your hen is behaving itself again though!