Domestic Abuse ..An Intervention??? UPDATE!!!

[toyzbox]

I have 26 chickens, about 15 weeks old. Two of them are Roo’s (both EEs). The alpha is a big black beauty with an attitude. All has been well until the last week. I know about the pecking order, and that he is in charge but I’m not sure what to watch for and when to get involved. I see him grab the girls by the head and they cry like crazy. But things usually quite down after that. But one of the girls seems to be either picked on more than the rest or just more scared of him. For the last 3 days she is either hiding behind the food bin in the coop or in the top corner and she refuses to come out. She just sits alone and cries (if that’s what it is). I’ve done some reading and I’m sure most likely this will settle when they get older but I’m not sure what to watch out for. Any help is appreciated.


UPDATE
I watched them pretty close this weekend and to my suprise it's not one of the Roos. It's one of the hens. She watches every move that little girl makes. The victim in questions stays behind the feed bin and if I get her out to the run she either hide behind me or will jump up in my lap. I'm trying treats and everything I can think of. I'm pretty sure she is still eating. There is food and water in the coop and in the run. Man that girl is a...well, chicken. Hope this stops soon. No one likes a bully.

 

[TammyTX]

I'm not sure there is much to do unless you are out there 24/7. I have a pullet with a wry neck that I think may have been caused by one of the roos dragging her around; at least that's what one of my roos did at first. Another one would mate and then just stand on them afterwards and not let them up because he didn't want another roo to mate.

Eventually the roo will get "better" and the girls will come to accept him more readily.

Mine are about 24 weeks and I still get screamers. I had a Polish hen once who never let herself be mated without screaming bloody murder!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

I'm not sure I'd keep the roo. Or if you need him, maybe consider re-homing the poor hen. She deserves a better life than being beaten up every day.

 

[Judy]

Agree with Buff.

 

[toyzbox]

Thanks Guys...I'll wait awhile. Maybe Tammys right.
But if it gets worse I'll rehome the Roo. I just didn't want to jump the gun. If you think about it...it's kind of weird thinking you should just wait till they get used to it. But that's the chicken world.

 

[texasgal]

Man, all I can think is that I will be eating a few Roos .. because I won't put up with any crap!!

 

[Akane]

If he's not picking feathers or anything then why not keep him? Roos chasing hens and grabbing them to mate is normal. You aren't going to find a roo that won't so if he's not doing anything else I'd only get rid of him if you don't want to have a roo around. Is this hen that's hiding actually injured any or missing feathers? Is she the bottom of the pecking order and also getting pushed around by the other hens? Unless they are injured by a really big bully (who almost always injures others as well) it usually takes the whole flock picking on them before they completely go into seclusion. Only other thing I could think of is if the roo has chosen her as his favorite and is just over mating which should calm down as he gets more mature. Otherwise you might have a drama queen who will never be happy.

If all the other hens are fine without a mark on them from the roo I'd just take the one that's hiding and another hen she gets along with and put them in their own pen for awhile. Then try to put them back in a few weeks when things are likely to have settled down some. The roo should calm down after the hens get to laying and they all grow up a little.

 

[greathorse]

If they all get along except for one hen I would be thinking about doing something with the hen. Give it a bit more time she will likely come out of it but if she doesnt she may be suited for a much smaller flock or at least a flock with no rooster. The good news is that it is a lot easier to send a hen to a new home than a rooster. Many roosters are difficult to give away much less sell or trade.

 

[gritsar]

If he's not doing her actual harm, no blood drawn, then I would let them sort it out. The hens get pretty good at outsmarting an over-attentive rooster. Just ask my Lilith, who is right now hiding behind a gate she knows my rooster can't fit thru.
Chicken mating is not pretty to the human eye, but it's natural to chickens. It's not like the girls are expecting chocolates and roses.

 

[redroosta]

Thats another thing thats changed these days! wife-beating (or hen-beating) is now domestic abuse.