HELP... aggressive hen pecking other hens bloody

[dbvanw]

HELP!

We have had our flock for about a year now. We 1st noticed that one of our Buff Orpingtons was being pecked very badly and was featherless and bloody under her wing. We thought that maybe our coop was too small for 5 hens and decided to re-home the injured bird.

Things seemed ok for a few weeks, but now the other 3 hens are being pecked in the same manner. The aggressive hen (Rhode Island Red) has been separated from the others, but I dont know what to do. Funny thing is that she is not aggressive with my wife or me at all... in fact she is one of our more "friendly" hens.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions for how to get my hen house back in order. Will the 3 injured birds continue to peck each others wounds? Can the aggressive bird ever be reintroduced to the coop/run?

Thanks.

 

[possumqueen]

Will they peck each other's wounds? They might. Try iodine on those wounds. It'll help keep them clean, and it tastes NASTY!

As for your aggressive hen, you may not be able to put her in with anyone. It sounds like she's just a bad girl.

 

[jerseygirl1]

I had one like that, I put her in a pen by herself to break the pecking order, but it didn't work - I ended up rehoming her

 

[kimb]

I have one amercauna that is a "witch" ... never was until I rehomed all the roosters ... (I got sick of listening to/ dealing with the neighbors)... She has her own section of the coop at night (that she actually goes into by herself!

)but during the day I let her free range with everyone and she only really wants to "eat" my silkie/cochin X (who is currently broody and won't leave her nest now anyway -- )

But if your in a situation where a rooster isn't going to be a problem - you might want to see if that helps keep the order.

Good luck! .... I don't have any definitive answers for you

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I've put peepers on agressive hens, works for me, if they can't focus in on a feather they can't pick

 

[loverOFchickens]

Clipping the top part of the beak might help some. Cut it just a little above where the quick (the blood vain that runs thru the beak) starts.It will bleed some but just put some flour on it.

 

[teach1rusl]

You can try blue kote on the pecked areas of your injured hens to keep them from pecking at one another's injuries. Some have had success with keeping a bully in a "time out" box (dog crate or whatever) for several days. It's supposed to bring them down on the pecking order when they're re-introduced. It may or may not work. If it doesn't work, then you may have to get rid of her. I have looked on-line at the pinless peepers...kind of like chicken blinders. You could give those a shot, but they kind of creep me out...lol.

 

[KDbeads]

I just rehomed 2 of my mean girls this morning, They killed 2 pullets and 2 hens and mangled 3 more. One of which is in my living room right now. Nothing worked, not even beak bits or peepers.

Today has been a heck of a lot more calm without them around too. Worth giving them away.

 

[thegoldengirls]

I also have a RIR who rules the roost.

I started with 3 RIRs and 3 Golden Comets. Then aquired 2 more Comets and another RIR. They're all the same age, so it was an easy fit.
After they were quarrantined for about a month we moved them all into a new coop together. I was surprised to find that the RIR from the group of 3 actually took over. After a few pinched combs and bloody waddles, and a week of throwing her weight around, they finally all settled in together.
The RIR is still the boss, but it's a mutual agreement among all of them.
In the coop, I have 2 perches that are parallel, and when all go in at night, they have their order on the perches.
However, out in the run I have 3 perches, and one is higher than the rest. This gives her a place to feel superior and still gives the others a place to hang out.
I also have 2 feeders, so the lower ones in the pecking order don't get chased out by the others.
It all seems to have worked out, and honestly, if you were to go out there now, you would not know who the boss is.
They've all found their place and are very happy together. And they are all very sweet girls.