Fighting and Molting - Any Advise?

[DowntownWings]

Can you keep the bully in the coop during the day? If I were you I would find a way to separate them for at least the portion of the day where they aren't out ranging or you can't be there to police them. But I wonder if the bully has a health problem that is irritating her aside from or because of the molting.

 

[Fletch83]

I wonder too! She is eating and foraging normally. I will have to finagle some way to keep them both separated, but secure.

 

[Fletch83]

I wonder if trying pinless peepers might help with some of the aggressive behavior?

 

[DowntownWings]

What are pinless peepers?

 

[aart]

Pinless Peepers

BYC advanced search>titles only>pinless peepers

 

[Fletch83]

STILL having issues...

I have tried keeping them separate during the day to where they can see each other but not get close enough to fight, letting them free range together, letting them roost together at night, separating them at night...nothing is working.

I thought we were having an OK day today since they were free-ranging together for part of the day, but once they went inside the coop for the night, the aggressive hen did a 180 in about a second and turned on the other hen. I know most hens squabble over the roost, and they used to do that too for a couple seconds before settling down, but this was another attack. The poor little hen was trying to run out of the coop to get away...I am not sure WHAT else to try at this point. Am I doing more harm than good by separating them? I feel badly for them, they used to be completely bonded and this literally happened within the space of an afternoon. They have plenty of room, free range regularly, there is enough room in the sleeping box of their coop...they were both molting, but it seems to have slowed. I am at the end of my rope!

 

[DowntownWings]

I can't help thinking your bully is either sick or having trouble with her molt. I am by no means an expert but I wonder if one of her feathers isn't coming in right and this js causing her pain. From what I know of chickens, they're personalities don't suddenly change like that. A little adaptability, sure, but it sounds like Jeykl and Hyde in your coop!

 

[aart]

I think they need to be separated 24/7 for a week or two or more....
.....changing things up every half day or even every two days may only be increasing the stress factors, exacerbating bad behaviors.

 

[Fletch83]

It was like Jekyl and Hyde, exactly! She has always been extra bossy but this is beyond. The only reason I thought it might originally be molt-associated is because of the timing. She was locking in on the other hen and staring her down while making what could only be described as chicken growling. I pray nothing serious is wrong with them health-wise. They are both otherwise eating, moving, and foraging normally but with chickens you can sometimes never be sure...we are working on setting up a separate living area for the bully, so that they can still see each other, but not touch. I didn't want to resort to having basically a whole other run & sleeping box, but I don't know what else to do safety-wise...the hen who is getting bullied is the sweetest thing ever so it's actually pretty sad.

 

[DowntownWings]

I think you are doing the right thing. I have two coops and a run in between that can be closed off specifically for introducing newbies but also on the offchance someone is getting picked on excessively. I wouldn't invite Martha Stewart over or anything (it's more function than fancy) but it works well when I need it. Good luck-let us know how it works out!