Extremely Aggressive Rhode Island Red

[ecartier219]

Hi everyone, 2 1/2 months ago I added 12 new chicks to my flock ( 6 Rhode Island Reds & 6 Ameraucanas ). About a week ago one of my new reds became very aggressive. 5 years of raising chickens I have never seen such aggression before. She attacked 5 chickens within a 3 day period, severely injuring 4 chickens (that I am still nursing back to health) and 1 deadly attack. I know it is her, since I caught her in the act and once I removed her from the coop, all the attacks of stopped. It has been 5 days now. I have her in our old rabbits cage now and every time I feed her, give her water or clean the cage, she attacks me. Yesterday was my breaking point with her when she attacked my hand and drew blood. I know getting rid of her is the best thing for the flock. Any advice? Should I try to rehome her? Will she always be aggressive since she has had a "taste for blood" so to speak? I never had to put a chicken down before, but I am starting to think it is my only option because she is aggressive to everyone. Any advice will be appreciated! Thank you in advance!

 

[IdahoPrepper]

I would make chicken tacos out of her ASAP. Birds, dogs, cats that are hostile get the bullet. What you are describing is way over the line. Thats what I am addressing.

 

[Barred Feather]

I have heard and experienced a RIR Rooster becoming rogue aggressive, but not a hen. I have a bunch of questions such as... were her victims members of her own flock or some of the established flock? and age? But I think the biggest question is what was the trigger? Is there anything in the environment or social make up of the flock that changed? If not, maybe like a rooster, there can aggressive streaks in a hen. I would send her over the happy chicken rainbow bridge. I don't think re-homing is an option. I don't think the aggression will go away and I always worry about the next owners' ability to be kind to a special needs/mean chicken. Death can be kind.... If the alternative is abuse, misery, or illness. The other option is keep her isolated and build her, her own house set up and keep your distance from her. I'm not sure how happy that would make her since chickens are flock animals and not given to living solitary. But then again she is trying to kill her flock mates. Good Luck with your decision!

 

[ecartier219]

To answer your questions-
Yes all the victims were members of her own flock. They have been together for 2 ½ months since they hatched.
I do not believe anything triggered the attacks. No change to the environment or to the flock.
We do believe there is a rooster in the flock, but he is still young.
I believe the only option is to “send her over the happy chicken rainbow bridge” as now her aggression has turned to me.

 

[aart]

Not clear how old the existing chickens are...
......and how old the new chickens are(2 1/2 months?)

Are the new chicks in with the existing flock or separate?

How much space do they have? Crowding can cause aggression.

I'd be eating that nasty chicken.

 

[Spartan22]

I'll fire up my big green egg grill and roast her to tenderness

 

[ecartier219]

The new chicks are still separate from the existing flock. They are in a new coop that we just built. The coop is 10ftx8ft and 4ft tall with a fenced in run. They have been together since I bought them on May 13th.

 

[aart]

The new chicks are still separate from the existing flock. They are in a new coop that we just built. The coop is 10ftx8ft and 4ft tall with a fenced in run. They have been together since I bought them on May 13th.

That aggressive with it's flock mates at 10 weeks old, get rid of it.
Too small to eat, unless you can segregate it for another 5-6 weeks.