Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ribh]

I'm not surprised. Very sad. One partial solution is to get another to keep her company. I don't think this problem is going to go away. I beleive I said as much when you first got her.
Watching your videos of roosting just left me feeling very sorry for her.
Unpopular though it is here on BYC the view of the old school chicken keepers here is don't mix breeds.
After years and made much worse by Gedit her half sister dying Myth has a very hard life with the mixed breeds. Myth is mostly bantam. The Bantam roosters know it and are constantly pestering her to leave Notch. She could probably swing it with the other bantam hens now that Bluespot is dead but Tribe 3 is her home now, rough, or not.
I've mentioned before, she's not an easy hen to like but I wish I could do something for her. She doesn't get hurt, but she is constantly harrassed by Knock and to a cetain extent by Donk as well. If the tribes here were all confined together her life would be a complete misery.
Family and/or breed, that's how chickens are and so are many other creatures to a greater or lesser extent including humans.

I've heard you on this before & not arguing because I am sure you are right but nearly everyone here has mixed flocks without things getting as extreme as @BY Bob is experiencing. Some of us have some very odd looking hens indeed. I'm wondering what has made his situation so extreme? I have Lavender, who is definitely the oddest looking hen I own & an absolute klutz to boot but it will never be Lavender being bullied. She is also a single. My Aracaunas, my other really odd lookers, are a pair who don't hang together, even to roost, but are pretty well tolerated by everyone else. Granted While everyone is still able to hop their fence they are pretty much free ranging @ will so have plenty of space.

As I've said before I was hopping to gradually move my flock to just a couple of different breeds but I am having so much trouble acquiring my breeds of choice I'm likely to continue to have a pretty mixed flock so managing that well becomes a priority & I am very curious to know how everyone gets their flock to get along without dramas.

 

[Ribh]

@BY Bob: Was it ACM who posted the video of getting cuddly chooks? I couldn't find it again but something she said in the video has me wondering. She talks about the keeper taking on rooster status & choosing his favourite hens ~ which would immediately raise the status of any hen chosen. I'm sure it would take a bit of time & work but I'm wondering if something along those lines would help? Or might it make for even more jealousy? At this point I think I'd try anything that I thought might work. I'm so sorry. I know your present arrangement wasn't your optimal choice but now we need a solution. Not much help I'm afraid but more than prepared to listen.

 

[Shadrach]

You were absolutely correct. I wanted to add a pair of whatever. That is always my preference. I cannot argue that Phyllis is different. I have considered that any flock expansion needs to include another polish. I think that is a must do. I got Phyllis fully knowing that she was going to be the odd hen out. It was not what I wanted to do but I agreed to make my wife happy. If I made one big mistake at the time it was in taking Sansa and not leaving myself room to add another polish. But then how could I leave Sansa as a lone hen? Perhaps I need to be more cold hearted.

However, the forcing out of the coop at night is not confined to Phyllis. Sansa was nearly locked out earlier this week. You all saw my posts on the roosting walk of shame. Aurora has tried to do it to Sydney as well. It does not take place every night. For example Wednesday was all quiet in the roosting process. I believe that my issue right now is Aurora.

So how do I create an environment where Aurora is happy to leave everyone else alone? She is a difficult bird. I love her for the crazy nut that she is and because she was Maleficent's partner in crime. Not to mention the pink eggs.

But I can't have this.

So what are the options?

1. I can watch them roost every night and intervene like I did last night
2. I could split the coop. Create 2 sides and 2 entrances. Aurora can't block them both.
3. I can try rearranging or adding more roosting spots to make it harder for Aurora to drive them out or satisfy her that she doesn't need to do so.
4. I could remove Aurora, temporarily or permanently
5. I could add a second coop (Put up the old coop) and close it up each night
6. I can finish armoring the entire complex so it is as safe to roost outside as inside. I have to think hard about what this would require. Evaluate everything for weaknesses.

If anyone else has any idea, please post.

1) ashort term if you are prepared to do it. Probably not practicable for you in the long term given you travel.
2) Splitting the coop would be an option if Phyllis had one of her own for company. It's possible Sansa might fit given she arrived at the same time.
3) Ime it doesn't matter much how the roosts are arranged, The senior hens will just go and bug the odd ones wherever they roost.
4) Aurora is imo just doing what hens do. If you remove her another will take over. Aurora has earned her right to be there, much like say Knock here who is a pain in the bum when it comes to bullying opportunities.
5) A second coop is much like isolating Phyllis. It's not her fault she's different. If she had company then it's an option.
6) very difficult from what I've seen of your setup.

I think you may have to look for another Polish hen Bob., or better still, which would really piss off the seniors, a Polish rooster.

There is a number 7) while you think about what is and what isn't practicable and that is to bring Phyllis inside for the night.
I think she will try to roost in the coop again. Some nights are worse than others.
She isn't getting injured and while I feel for her, it is just intimidation atm and this needs to be born in mind.
I've has senior hens here put bullies in their place. Sometimes it takes a while. Donk used to have terrible problems with one of her daughters, Fray. It went on for weeks. Gedit was still alive then. Gedit was very mellow but she kept order in Tribe 3. I had just got to the point where I was considering interfering when one night they all went to roost, Fray being as horrid as usaul and the next morning when I opened up Fray staggered out covered in blood, a nasty rip in her comb and a couple of bleeding wounds to her head. Gedit came out with blood on her beak. Fray didn't give Donk much trouble from that day on.

 

[Shadrach]

I've heard you on this before & not arguing because I am sure you are right but nearly everyone here has mixed flocks without things getting as extreme as @BY Bob is experiencing. Some of us have some very odd looking hens indeed. I'm wondering what has made his situation so extreme? I have Lavender, who is definitely the oddest looking hen I own & an absolute klutz to boot but it will never be Lavender being bullied. She is also a single. My Aracaunas, my other really odd lookers, are a pair who don't hang together, even to roost, but are pretty well tolerated by everyone else. Granted While everyone is still able to hop their fence they are pretty much free ranging @ will so have plenty of space.

As I've said before I was hopping to gradually move my flock to just a couple of different breeds but I am having so much trouble acquiring my breeds of choice I'm likely to continue to have a pretty mixed flock so managing that well becomes a priority & I am very curious to know how everyone gets their flock to get along without dramas.

It's that can't and shouldn't problem again.
You can mix breeds. Lots of people do mix breeds and have few problems.
There are some combinations of breeds one should never mix. There are others that may work as long as there is more than one of each breed. There are others where breeds are mixed but enough alike to rub along together.
The bottom line is, given a choice breeds will stick together.
There are always exceptions and the advice given by keepers here is for maximum peacfull life.

 

[RoyalChick]

1) ashort term if you are prepared to do it. Probably not practicable for you in the long term given you travel.
2) Splitting the coop would be an option if Phyllis had one of her own for company. It's possible Sansa might fit given she arrived at the same time.
3) Ime it doesn't matter much how the roosts are arranged, The senior hens will just go and bug the odd ones wherever they roost.
4) Aurora is imo just doing what hens do. If you remove her another will take over. Aurora has earned her right to be there, much like say Knock here who is a pain in the bum when it comes to bullying opportunities.
5) A second coop is much like isolating Phyllis. It's not her fault she's different. If she had company then it's an option.
6) very difficult from what I've seen of your setup.

I think you may have to look for another Polish hen Bob., or better still, which would really piss off the seniors, a Polish rooster.

There is a number 7) while you think about what is and what isn't practicable and that is to bring Phyllis inside for the night.
I think she will try to roost in the coop again. Some nights are worse than others.
She isn't getting injured and while I feel for her, it is just intimidation atm and this needs to be born in mind.
I've has senior hens here put bullies in their place. Sometimes it takes a while. Donk used to have terrible problems with one of her daughters, Fray. It went on for weeks. Gedit was still alive then. Gedit was very mellow but she kept order in Tribe 3. I had just got to the point where I was considering interfering when one night they all went to roost, Fray being as horrid as usaul and the next morning when I opened up Fray staggered out covered in blood, a nasty rip in her comb and a couple of bleeding wounds to her head. Gedit came out with blood on her beak. Fray didn't give Donk much trouble from that day on.

In defense of the more roosts idea, at some point the games stopped. I observe this when Maggie is on the open end of the big roost and able to terrorize the Little Princesses. She runs them off and then goes back to her place and they creep back. She runs them off, goes back to her place and they creep back. Rinse and repeat. But at some point it gets too dark and she stops and they stop and then the shuffle ever so gradually closer to her as she falls asleep.
My thinking was if there were a lot of roosts at some point it is just too dark to hop down and hop up again just to chase Phyllis.
A bit like the game musical chairs (is that what it was called?). At some point the music stops.

 

[Ribh]

It's that can't and shouldn't problem again.
You can mix breeds. Lots of people do mix breeds and have few problems.
There are some combinations of breeds one should never mix. There are others that may work as long as there is more than one of each breed. There are others where breeds are mixed but enough alike to rub along together.
The bottom line is, given a choice breeds will stick together.
There are always exceptions and the advice given by keepers here is for maximum peacfull life.

I'm glad you mentioned there are exceptions as my Campines & Wyandottes seem pretty interchangeable ~ a situation I do find surprising. They forage together, escape together & roost together & these are the 2 breeds I really want to run together ~ if I can ever get my hands on more Campines.

 

[BY Bob]

@BY Bob: Was it ACM who posted the video of getting cuddly chooks? I couldn't find it again but something she said in the video has me wondering. She talks about the keeper taking on rooster status & choosing his favourite hens ~ which would immediately raise the status of any hen chosen. I'm sure it would take a bit of time & work but I'm wondering if something along those lines would help? Or might it make for even more jealousy? At this point I think I'd try anything that I thought might work. I'm so sorry. I know your present arrangement wasn't your optimal choice but now we need a solution. Not much help I'm afraid but more than prepared to listen.

I watched it and I'm tempted to try and use it on Aurora. I need to do some kind of behavior modification with her and I don't see how it could hurt.

 

[Shadrach]

In defense of the more roosts idea, at some point the games stopped. I observe this when Maggie is on the open end of the big roost and able to terrorize the Little Princesses. She runs them off and then goes back to her place and they creep back. She runs them off, goes back to her place and they creep back. Rinse and repeat. But at some point it gets too dark and she stops and they stop and then the shuffle ever so gradually closer to her as she falls asleep.
My thinking was if there were a lot of roosts at some point it is just too dark to hop down and hop up again just to chase Phyllis.
A bit like the game musical chairs (is that what it was called?). At some point the music stops.

It may work, but what happens here is the hen that is getting bullied becomes relctant to go to roost. There comes a point, here anyway, when they either go up a tree, or even into another tribes coop or one of the spares which I close last at night for this very reason.
I don't have much scope for more roosts or roosts in different places. I'm about to split the roost in Tribe 3's coop and make it one either side the same as the other main coops. It's one long roost lengthwise atm.

 

[LozzyR]

You were absolutely correct. I wanted to add a pair of whatever. That is always my preference. I cannot argue that Phyllis is different. I have considered that any flock expansion needs to include another polish. I think that is a must do. I got Phyllis fully knowing that she was going to be the odd hen out. It was not what I wanted to do but I agreed to make my wife happy. If I made one big mistake at the time it was in taking Sansa and not leaving myself room to add another polish. But then how could I leave Sansa as a lone hen? Perhaps I need to be more cold hearted.

However, the forcing out of the coop at night is not confined to Phyllis. Sansa was nearly locked out earlier this week. You all saw my posts on the roosting walk of shame. Aurora has tried to do it to Sydney as well. It does not take place every night. For example Wednesday was all quiet in the roosting process. I believe that my issue right now is Aurora.

So how do I create an environment where Aurora is happy to leave everyone else alone? She is a difficult bird. I love her for the crazy nut that she is and because she was Maleficent's partner in crime. Not to mention the pink eggs.

But I can't have this.

So what are the options?

1. I can watch them roost every night and intervene like I did last night
2. I could split the coop. Create 2 sides and 2 entrances. Aurora can't block them both.
3. I can try rearranging or adding more roosting spots to make it harder for Aurora to drive them out or satisfy her that she doesn't need to do so.
4. I could remove Aurora, temporarily or permanently
5. I could add a second coop (Put up the old coop) and close it up each night
6. I can finish armoring the entire complex so it is as safe to roost outside as inside. I have to think hard about what this would require. Evaluate everything for weaknesses.

If anyone else has any idea, please post.

I think an extra door could help.

 

[BY Bob]

1) ashort term if you are prepared to do it. Probably not practicable for you in the long term given you travel.
2) Splitting the coop would be an option if Phyllis had one of her own for company. It's possible Sansa might fit given she arrived at the same time.
3) Ime it doesn't matter much how the roosts are arranged, The senior hens will just go and bug the odd ones wherever they roost.
4) Aurora is imo just doing what hens do. If you remove her another will take over. Aurora has earned her right to be there, much like say Knock here who is a pain in the bum when it comes to bullying opportunities.
5) A second coop is much like isolating Phyllis. It's not her fault she's different. If she had company then it's an option.
6) very difficult from what I've seen of your setup.

I think you may have to look for another Polish hen Bob., or better still, which would really piss off the seniors, a Polish rooster.

There is a number 7) while you think about what is and what isn't practicable and that is to bring Phyllis inside for the night.
I think she will try to roost in the coop again. Some nights are worse than others.
She isn't getting injured and while I feel for her, it is just intimidation atm and this needs to be born in mind.
I've has senior hens here put bullies in their place. Sometimes it takes a while. Donk used to have terrible problems with one of her daughters, Fray. It went on for weeks. Gedit was still alive then. Gedit was very mellow but she kept order in Tribe 3. I had just got to the point where I was considering interfering when one night they all went to roost, Fray being as horrid as usaul and the next morning when I opened up Fray staggered out covered in blood, a nasty rip in her comb and a couple of bleeding wounds to her head. Gedit came out with blood on her beak. Fray didn't give Donk much trouble from that day on.

I used to watch on camera as Patsy abused Lilly horribly. There was always a point at which Daisy, the greatest hen ever, would intervene. She would grab Patsy's comb and hold it for quite a while. Once she let go Patsy was done.

What is not happening right now is that neither Hattie nor Lilly are showing any indication of stepping in. Lilly is above it all on the high roost. I don't see her getting down to do anything. Now Hattie is right there as it happens. I really wish she would do something but it's not her way to mess with anything pecking order related.