Dyeing Chickens

[Sarah Doss]

I have some gorgeous sweet buffs that the rest of the flock are mean to. They beat up on them. The buffs have been around a long time. When I added a rooster he started picking on them too. I separated them again but they can't stay in the smaller area for long. Im seriously wondering that if I dye their feathers would they leave them alone? I added some Wynadottes thinking this would help break it up but noooo! They love the Wynadottes just not the buffs. Can I safely, temporarily, dye the buffs black and see if this works? Has anyone done this before? I seriously want to start "spanking" some chickers. Help!!!

 

[staceyj]

Watching to see how this plays out.

I love “what if” stories.

Ps. My buffs are the sweetest in my flock. But one gets knocked around all the time by the others. I cannot see anything that she does to provoke gettig picked on other than the generic “pecking order”.

I break it up by walking into the scuffle, stomp a little, get big and force the mean one to step aside.

When I’m working in the garden with garden tools I drop them loudly when I see bad behavior.
Watering... the hose spray might wander in that direction....
They are like naughty kids getting caught misbehaving.

I just assert myself as a reminder that I’m in charge.

 

[Sarah Doss]

I tell them "No!" in a stern voice. I chase them away. I would like to put spikes all over them, like body armor, and see what happens then. I separated them again. My heart couldn't take it.

 

[Folly's place]

Flock dynamics are interesting, and can be painful too. If you have one or two aggressive birds that are causing the problems, move them out for a week or more, or move them elsewhere. What breeds? I no longer have production reds or RIRs because they were nasty to their flockmates.
Birds that are too timid/ soft can have issues in a mixed flock. Salmon Favorelles, for example, are so gentle, everyone picks on them.
Your Orphingtons seem to be like that too, and may need separate digs.
Having enough space, places to get away, and activities, and a good diet, will all help.
Mary

 

[RWise]

How much room do they have coop/run/free range?
I think I would separate the aggressors, resetting the pecking order,, good luck!

 

[Sarah Doss]

It's my cinnamon queen, silver laced Wynadottes, and the rooster. He's new to the crew but since the others pick on them he does too.

 

[aart]

How much room do they have coop/run/free range?

Important questions.... if you really want to solve the problem.

Oh, and on title topic...dying them a different color may make the problem worse.
Will make them look like new 'strangers'.

 

[Sarah Doss]

They are in a large coop with several perches and nesting boxes. We redid an playhouse that's probably 8x8 and has a porch. Two large dog pens have been connected to form their pen and their coop is 3ft off the ground with a slated ladder to go up into it. The free range anywhere from 3-7 hours a day. Once I let them out to free range, the buffs come out from hiding out into the yard and some of the dominant ones immediately attack them. Two hens and a huge rooster are the bullies.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Totally agree with @aart on this one. Dying them would make them look like strangers, and even chickens that didn't pick on them will go after them to defend their territory from the 'new' interlopers.
I'd try separating your bullies and then bring them back a week later, so that they're 'new' to the flock again... but the dynamic will change once their gone, so you never know what's going to happen there. It could help, it could make things worse... or somebody else might get bullied instead.

 

[aart]

probably 8x8

Take a tape measure out to be sure, pics would help too.

How big is the pen?
How many total birds, what are their ages, and when did you make the additions?
Adding birds usually just creates more chaos.

For now.... remove the bullies, not the abused.