Dealing with a Bully? *Help needed FAST!*

Pet Duck Boy

Songster
10 Years
Dec 12, 2009
1,373
23
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Orlando, FL
I'm leaving on Friday for Christmas vacation, and thought that I better nip this in the butt before issues arrise while the 'chicken newb' pet-sitter takes care of the animals. To make a long story short, Meko, the lowest of the pecking order, had a little fight with Big-Red, second or third to her. After some intense kicking and a bleeding comb, Big-Red declared heself winner and for the last 4 days has been bullying Meko. Now I'm sure this is normal pecking order stuff, and I'm sure it'll figure itself out eventually, but Meko has been terrified to come down off the roost, and with me going to be gone for a week and a half this has to stop. She stays up there ALL day, and can't get within 4 feet of Big-Red without being chased or flogged. Which is weird, cause the two were always fine with each other. The other 4 still put her in her place, but they don't intentionally seek her out the moment she steps off the roosts. Living only in an 11 by 10 chain-link dog kennel, the 5 can't afford to push another hen out of the way without feeding/drinking problems popping up. I've taken action and have placed a mini-feeder on the ladder roost, which Meko takes advantage of. The waterer, on the other hand, is on a lower level and she comepletely avoids it unless I place her next to it, mostly because Big-Red can get her from there. The others still need room to roost, too though. She gets dehydrated if I don't step in, and will sit and drink for 15 minutes after half a day of no water. How do I get Big-Red to stop?
 
Big red doesn't usually travel more than a foot up the roosts, it's only when Meko comes down. I'll sperate Big Red then, but for how long? I have a dog crate...it's small though.
 
Time is the factor here, and I am not sure that you can resolve this by Friday. Is there a seperate pen that you can put either Big Red (preferably) or Meko in while you are gone. Without you being there to monitor the situation, I see the potential for a bad ending unless they are seperated. good luck, given the time factor this is a tough one.
 
I don't know if this will help, but....I have several roosters, one of which has been living away from the others for a while. Now, when I tried to bring him back to them, some of the roosters did NOT take kindly to that, and would have killed him if I would've let them. However, for the last month or so, I've occasionally kept him in a cage in the chickenhouse/greenhouse, where they can see him and interact with him but not hurt him. I let him run where he wants now, and instead of trying to beat him up, they are used to him, and leave him alone. It may not work for your rooster, but you're should probably keep them separated at least until you come back and can work with them.
 

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