Chicken Fight!!!!

[littlemissjellyfish]

So my hen "Helen the Brave" has fully recuperated from her dog attack. (She stood up to the dog so the rest of the flock could get away!) It was so nice this past weekend that I decided to bring her out to the tractor and get some fresh air. I also thought it would be a good opportunity to mingle with her girls. Boy was I wrong! It took less than a minute before her successor "Penelope" started stretching her neck and chest bumping her. This went on for another minute but soon escalated into a fury of beaks and talons! I was surprised to see the other girls choosing sides and jumping into the fray!! "Esme" my EE who is low hen on the totem pole took "Helen's" side in the battle. I admit I was shocked and amazed at the whole pecking order dynamic unfolding in front of me. I grabbed Helen out of the tractor as soon as it started getting ugly. She was pretty mad when i brought her back inside. She was yelling up a storm! I didn't want her to get reinjured though. How do I successfully reintroduce Helen? Has anyone ever lost a hen due to a fight over top hen? Do the others usually take sides like this?
Any advice/ help would be most appreciated!

 

[wannabchick]

She lost her pecking order when remove out of the group..slow intergration, do u have a crate u can put her in and or wire up so she can go out with them..they can get use to looking at her..

I think chickens have no memory..therefore to them, u just brought in a new member

So u must go thru the whole integration thing again..and this is because Penelope

Now another thing..take Penelope out and away for the day and put the one back into the group, then integrate Penelope back in..that might work too
Good luck

 

[GardenWeasel]

You could maybe reintroduce her in a dog crate for a few days and let everyone get used to her again. I just lost my gentle queen of the flock due to laying issues and my new leader is no where near as kind, it is hard to watch. My large BA will intervene if it gets too ugly as all the rest clear out and don't want to be next. The new boss is a mean little Black Sex Link who challenges me every few months but I show her who the rooster is.

 

[CMV]

I once lost a bird to a hawk attack. Not as a direct result of the attack, but because she had to recover in my house for months after. When I tried to integrate her back into the group, she was never accepted back by the flock. The flock attacked her at every opportunity. I tried the crate idea, but they would just terrorize her through the wires. After this went on for nearly a month, I gave up and re-homed her for her safety.

Taking the worst culprit out for a few days and crating the injured bird in the coop during that time is definitely the way I would try to get Helen re-integrated. Get the rest of the flock used to Helen again before you allow them physical access to her so they don't re-injure her. Don't be surprised when another bird will take Penelope's place as Helen's antagonist once Penelope is removed, but hopefully with the current leader removed the flock will be too unstable to put much effort into harassing Helen. Before you fully combine the flock again I would let them meet on open ground for a few hours of free-range. A lot of space makes for places to run and hide and avoid each other if needed.

Good luck.

 

[ketcham]

Life is gonna get more interesting.I'm thinking of adding to mine.I bought 12 chicks and want to add 6 more.Guess I'll see what happens

Kevin

 

[littlemissjellyfish]

Thanks for the ideas! I will try removing Penelope and crate Helen with the others. Hopefully that will do the trick!