Soooo... I have 8 chickens, all hens. 1 Barred Rock, 2 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orpingtons, and 2 Easter Eggers. 2 of them are broody right now and have been for about a month because I haven't had a chance to break them yet. One, an Orpington named Penny, has been broody 3 times since April and is very serious. The second, an Australorp named Blackie, only just got serious and puffing at me. She was running out of the box. She still doesn't sit all day either.
Anyways, as the title says they seem to be fighting! The Australorps are attacking Penny and maybe other girls.
I'm not sure which Australorp it is but lately they've been attacking Penny! I just noticed it for the first time today but it's been a few days or more.
And it's not just a normal peck on the head or chase across the yard. I don't like that but know it's pecking order. This she legitimately puffed up and then flew at Penny feet first. Then the other Australorp saw her and joined in the chase. I saw this and ran screaming and gave them a few good chases, probably more than necessary, around the backyard. All seemed fine. I went inside. A few minutes later, I hear a loud fight. Run out, same birds fighting again but just the one Australorp this time. I scream again and chase again but just a short one cause she was heading into the woods.
I don't understand the problem. They have been together 2 years and sure sometimes the Australorps have been a little mean before but nothing like this. And Penny has been broody before and last time I even completely separated her in the garage a few days and reintroduced and there were no problems.
It is also weird because just seconds before they were, seemingly happily, foraging together and Penny even stole something from her. Then the fight? I'm not sure what started it. It happened so fast and seemed random. But I do know Penny stood her ground and maybe puffed back so maybe that's it? Because I know Bunny my Easter Egger is scared of them and backs off, running or flying out of their way, if they even so much as look at her wrong or step towards her (it sounds like she's being tramautized but she's not, what I mean is she knows how to avoid conflict and escalation and back off) and they are used to that but Penny stood her ground at first. Would that escalate it? But it seems somewhat random.
They're also both broody, could it be related? Though I think she attacks other Orpingtons too.
They are also all molting now. Could she just be witchy and uncomfortable from the molt?
She doesn't appear to be eating the feathers so not a protein issue I don't think. She just attacks!
I don't want to have to get rid of her but I will if she is going to full out attack my other hens!
Will this go away?
Like I said, they've been together 2 years so I find it really strange!
Could she be protecting chicks she doesn't have? Or do they only get the extreme protectiveness once they actually hatch?
And I know some say to let them sort it out themselves and I do with normal pecking order squabbles but with fullout attacks like this, I don't want Penny to get hurt!
Anyways, as the title says they seem to be fighting! The Australorps are attacking Penny and maybe other girls.
I'm not sure which Australorp it is but lately they've been attacking Penny! I just noticed it for the first time today but it's been a few days or more.
And it's not just a normal peck on the head or chase across the yard. I don't like that but know it's pecking order. This she legitimately puffed up and then flew at Penny feet first. Then the other Australorp saw her and joined in the chase. I saw this and ran screaming and gave them a few good chases, probably more than necessary, around the backyard. All seemed fine. I went inside. A few minutes later, I hear a loud fight. Run out, same birds fighting again but just the one Australorp this time. I scream again and chase again but just a short one cause she was heading into the woods.
I don't understand the problem. They have been together 2 years and sure sometimes the Australorps have been a little mean before but nothing like this. And Penny has been broody before and last time I even completely separated her in the garage a few days and reintroduced and there were no problems.
It is also weird because just seconds before they were, seemingly happily, foraging together and Penny even stole something from her. Then the fight? I'm not sure what started it. It happened so fast and seemed random. But I do know Penny stood her ground and maybe puffed back so maybe that's it? Because I know Bunny my Easter Egger is scared of them and backs off, running or flying out of their way, if they even so much as look at her wrong or step towards her (it sounds like she's being tramautized but she's not, what I mean is she knows how to avoid conflict and escalation and back off) and they are used to that but Penny stood her ground at first. Would that escalate it? But it seems somewhat random.
They're also both broody, could it be related? Though I think she attacks other Orpingtons too.
They are also all molting now. Could she just be witchy and uncomfortable from the molt?
She doesn't appear to be eating the feathers so not a protein issue I don't think. She just attacks!
I don't want to have to get rid of her but I will if she is going to full out attack my other hens!
Will this go away?
Like I said, they've been together 2 years so I find it really strange!
Could she be protecting chicks she doesn't have? Or do they only get the extreme protectiveness once they actually hatch?
And I know some say to let them sort it out themselves and I do with normal pecking order squabbles but with fullout attacks like this, I don't want Penny to get hurt!
