Frustrating Hen Problem

[Lwaddle]

I have 3 hens: Barnvelder, Buff Orpington, and Easter eager. They are 2 years old and have been together from week old. All 3 are molting. The Barnvelder has gotten very ugly toward the Buff. She will go into the coop at dusk and will let the EE in but not the Buff. Buff ends up roosting on the top rung of the coop ladder. It is too chilly here to leave her out. Tonight she was “screaming” until I went out and put her in coop through the back door. Barnvelder approached her but when I said NO she turned and went away. I hate to interfere but I cannot let her be out at niget! I also don’t want them in habit of me putting her in every night! Any suggestions?!

 

[CluckerFamily]

Could you put the barnvelder in a crate at night?

 

[Lwaddle]

Yes I could. How long would you do that?

 

[CluckerFamily]

Yes I could. How long would you do that?

I would see how she reacts to it. I personally would experiment with the time. If she stopped when you said no, which is something mine would do (there personalities are hilarious), she may stop after a couple times of putting her in the crate. You may have to surprise pop in at nights to keep her behaved.

 

[Lwaddle]

I will give it a try tomorrow since they are settled in coop tonight!

 

[McBriec]

I would very much agree with Cluckerfamily's suggestion to segregate the aggressive hen. The more an animal practices an undesirable behavior, the more entrenched the behavior becomes. So interrupting/preventing the behavior is important.

Also, segregating the aggressive/dominant hen has the effect of reducing her general power which in turn can reduce her her bullying behaviors. I always try to put myself in my animals' shoes and so I want to make sure that no animal is being subjected to an unpleasant, stressful environment.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We had a hen that started bullying pretty much everybody at roosting time. We did as suggested above, put her in a crate at bedtime. We did this for three nights and then let her roost as usual, and she seemed back on good behavior. A week or so later, she was bullying again, so back in the crate she went, this time for about five nights, as I recall. She was a BO. We decided if she kept it up we would cull her, but that did the trick. We never had trouble with her again. Good luck to you!

 

[Lwaddle]

I will crate her starting tomorrow night for at least 3 nights and see how she does. Thank you for you help!

 

[CluckerFamily]

I will crate her starting tomorrow night for at least 3 nights and see how she does. Thank you for you help!

If you won't be able to get up to let her out with the rest in the morning, you may want to make sure she has water and food in the crate, just in case.