Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Possibly upheaval in the pecking order here. Little was always the top hen, but I never really saw any enforcemnet drama. While I was gone, my chicken sitter said that "one of the black chickens has been sleeping in the nest box." I said that was ok, since molting makes it uncomfortable for them to snuggle up. I saw it was Little when I got home.

But Little is done molting. So I blocked off the nest box. The first night, I thought she was on the roost. Now she is hunkering down next to the nestbox, alone.

Tonight, two of the Bielefelders were on the roost, and the other three pullets were on the other roosts.

I feel sad for Little. I am not sure who is taking over, though it wouldn't surprise me if it is Robin. (Who still hasn't laid an egg.) I have seen her acting a bit "in charge" at times, chasing other pullets and pecking them at times.

Always sad to see change.

 

[Ponypoor]

My Nextdoor neighbor came over to see me. She just wanted to say hello.
Sir Jaffar flogged her! But Patti just laughed at the situation. That little rooster couldn’t hurt anyone.

Sir Jaffar! Silly boy!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have a question for you all. Have any of you had a hen actively stalk you, growling like only a chicken can head down looking like a rooster ready to attack? I have never even had a cockerel full in his idiot phase act this aggressive. One of the speckled sussex's is doing this. Fairly certain it is Dottie. This behavior has been building up for about a month now. It started as simply following me around. Then the growling while following. Now she is got her head down and hackles slightly flared. This IS a pullet I am sure of it. I grabbed her yesterday and inspected her hackle and sickle feathers. Rounded pullet/hen shaped. I asked and I am the only one she is doing this too. I am very very close to treating her like a do a stupid teenage roo and snatch her up and start carrying her around while I do chores.

Diane-Ida has been strangely aggressive with my bare hands, if I reach near her to do something, she growls, whines and pecks, pretty hard. Specifically the back of my hand upsets her. If I turn it over and show her my palm and fingers she stops.

I had thought she was looking for any treats I might be holding, but now I'm not sure. I know she's quick to react if I touch her without enough warning or accidentally, she will swing her head in that direction as if to bite, she pulls back usually. But with warning I can pick her up with my hand sliding under the front of her, and she's perfectly fine, legs all hanging down, very relaxed.

She's quite familiar with me, is that part of it? If I am crouching down she will leap on to my back and walk up to my shoulders and head. Its actually the best spot if the Bigs are around, very safe there. If any treats are getting handed out she'll get a hand with treats held up for her there in turn with the others. But she'll do that often whether there's treats involved or not. Just a change in the view?

 

[featherhead007]

A mugshot from Tassels to wish you all a happy Monday.
I love this bird but she is a bit of a menace. She is built like a tank and hasn’t understood that I need somewhere to put my feet if I am to progress forward. She just stands in front of me and won’t budge.
View attachment 3692543

I just want to grab Tassels by her muffs and slap on her a great big kiss !

 

[Sally PB]

Always sad to see change.

Yes. As long as Little isn't bullied, I won't mind the change in the pecking order too much. But I can't see Little allowing anyone to bully her.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have a question for you all. Have any of you had a hen actively stalk you, growling like only a chicken can head down looking like a rooster ready to attack? I have never even had a cockerel full in his idiot phase act this aggressive. One of the speckled sussex's is doing this. Fairly certain it is Dottie. This behavior has been building up for about a month now. It started as simply following me around. Then the growling while following. Now she is got her head down and hackles slightly flared. This IS a pullet I am sure of it. I grabbed her yesterday and inspected her hackle and sickle feathers. Rounded pullet/hen shaped. I asked and I am the only one she is doing this too. I am very very close to treating her like a do a stupid teenage roo and snatch her up and start carrying her around while I do chores.

[Weird this posted or I hit post while I was writing it? I added more...]

Diane-Ida has been strangely aggressive with my bare hands, if I reach near her to do something, she growls, whines and pecks, pretty hard. Specifically the back of my hand upsets her if it's near. If I turn it over and show her my palm and fingers she stops. I pecked her back with my finger once because it hurt and she almost drew blood; she was surprised and afraid; she didn't try to peck again (that day). But I don't want her fearing me, I might try the carrying-around thing if this progresses.

I had thought she was looking for any treats I might be holding, but now I'm not sure. I know she's quick to react if I touch her without enough warning or accidentally, she will swing her head in that direction as if to bite, she pulls back usually. But with warning, if she's facing me and we are talking I can easily pick her up with my hand sliding under the front of her, and she's perfectly fine, legs all hanging down, very relaxed. She stays there and seems very interested in looking at my face while I look at hers (to examine her eyes).

She's quite familiar with me, is that part of it? If I am crouching down she will leap on to my back and walk up to my shoulders and head. I learned to not look around when she leans over to look at my face, she once lightly pecked my eye too closely - but that wasn't an aggressive peck, no growling or noises, just exploring.

Its actually the best spot up there if the Bigs are around, very safe. If any treats are getting handed out she'll get a hand with treats held up for her there in turn with the others. But she'll jump up whether there's treats involved or not. Just a change in the view?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Possibly upheaval in the pecking order here. Little was always the top hen, but I never really saw any enforcemnet drama. While I was gone, my chicken sitter said that "one of the black chickens has been sleeping in the nest box." I said that was ok, since molting makes it uncomfortable for them to snuggle up. I saw it was Little when I got home.

But Little is done molting. So I blocked off the nest box. The first night, I thought she was on the roost. Now she is hunkering down next to the nestbox, alone.

Tonight, two of the Bielefelders were on the roost, and the other three pullets were on the other roosts.

I feel sad for Little. I am not sure who is taking over, though it wouldn't surprise me if it is Robin. (Who still hasn't laid an egg.) I have seen her acting a bit "in charge" at times, chasing other pullets and pecking them at times.

Little may not be feeling well? That could explain some nestbox sleeping. Robin may just be keeping her own status assured, it's not necessarily the top hen that chases. Here, and I think Bob said this was the case at FBA, the second-in-command is often the enforcer. Peanut was definitely above Hazel, but Peanut rarely put the hammer down on anyone. Hazel did it.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I see tiny bubbles in one of Hazel's eyes, ;( we got a vet appointment but the earliest they could do is Thursday. If it progresses to really bubbly I'll bring her in on an emergency basis.

 

[featherhead007]

[Weird this posted or I hit post while I was writing it? I added more...]

Diane-Ida has been strangely aggressive with my bare hands, if I reach near her to do something, she growls, whines and pecks, pretty hard. Specifically the back of my hand upsets her if it's near. If I turn it over and show her my palm and fingers she stops. I pecked her back with my finger once because it hurt and she almost drew blood; she was surprised and afraid; she didn't try to peck again (that day). But I don't want her fearing me, I might try the carrying-around thing if this progresses.

I had thought she was looking for any treats I might be holding, but now I'm not sure. I know she's quick to react if I touch her without enough warning or accidentally, she will swing her head in that direction as if to bite, she pulls back usually. But with warning, if she's facing me and we are talking I can easily pick her up with my hand sliding under the front of her, and she's perfectly fine, legs all hanging down, very relaxed. She stays there and seems very interested in looking at my face while I look at hers (to examine her eyes).

She's quite familiar with me, is that part of it? If I am crouching down she will leap on to my back and walk up to my shoulders and head. I learned to not look around when she leans over to look at my face, she once lightly pecked my eye too closely - but that wasn't an aggressive peck, no growling or noises, just exploring.

Its actually the best spot up there if the Bigs are around, very safe. If any treats are getting handed out she'll get a hand with treats held up for her there in turn with the others. But she'll jump up whether there's treats involved or not. Just a change in the view?

Just rub your fingers under her crop, around her keel bone and softly under her wings. She’ll get it. Works every time for me!

 

[rural mouse]

I have a question for you all. Have any of you had a hen actively stalk you, growling like only a chicken can head down looking like a rooster ready to attack? I have never even had a cockerel full in his idiot phase act this aggressive. One of the speckled sussex's is doing this. Fairly certain it is Dottie. This behavior has been building up for about a month now. It started as simply following me around. Then the growling while following. Now she is got her head down and hackles slightly flared. This IS a pullet I am sure of it. I grabbed her yesterday and inspected her hackle and sickle feathers. Rounded pullet/hen shaped. I asked and I am the only one she is doing this too. I am very very close to treating her like a do a stupid teenage roo and snatch her up and start carrying her around while I do chores.

If it works with the roos, it's worth trying with the pullets too.