Help! I have a mean chicken :(

[krowl]

I got four new hens, they were March babies, 2 barred rock, one buff orp., and one Americauna. The Americauna (who is just the sweetest) was missing tail feathers when I got her and about three days after getting them she was bleeding in the tail region...i separated her and she is healing up and I have been monitoring her but letting her free range with the others while in my view to ensure her tail isn't pecked at...one of my barred rocks, who is definitely the alpha/boss will not let my americauna near the group..scares her off, chases her and if she gets the chance gets on top and pecks at her...im afraid to put the americauna back in the coop and run and to leave her unattended with the barred rock...i notice the other hens will stand up to this mean hen but this little americauna just runs...help and suggestions as I am considering removing this barred rock at this point

 

[Folly's place]

I'd move your nasty pullet to a cage by herself, out of sight of her flockmates, for maybe two weeks. Then reintroduce her to the flock, and see if things improve. If she's still able to bully everyone, send her off to another flock, preferably one with older (tougher!) hens.
Mary

 

[wamtazlady]

I would suggest that you completely remove the barred rock. If you can put her in an area where she is not even seen by the others. Then put your beat up hen in with the others to see how that goes. In a week or maybe even two weeks you can try putting the barred rock back in with the flock again. By then she will be seen as the new girl. She will not have the power of the alpha hen any longer. It does sometimes work. If it doesn't work you may have to choose to keep one or the other.

In the meantime you should buy some Blu-Kote to spray the area of the bird that is getting pecked. Birds are attracted to the color red. If the others see red blood or red skin they will peck her. The Blu-Kote will prevent that.

 

[BlueBaby]

I agree. Send the mean one to chicken jail for a couple of week's. By then she will have lost her top position in the flock, and it may correct her behavior.

 

[americanchicks]

Agreed X 4. Your BR needs a time out for a couple weeks. I had to do the same with mine when I brought in new pullets. I had pend off part of the run with a tarp so she could not see. After the 2 weeks she was lower on the pole than before but made her way back to the top without picking on the babies. BR can just be bossy sometimes.

 

[krowl]

I would suggest that you completely remove the barred rock. If you can put her in an area where she is not even seen by the others. Then put your beat up hen in with the others to see how that goes. In a week or maybe even two weeks you can try putting the barred rock back in with the flock again. By then she will be seen as the new girl. She will not have the power of the alpha hen any longer. It does sometimes work. If it doesn't work you may have to choose to keep one or the other.

In the meantime you should buy some Blu-Kote to spray the area of the bird that is getting pecked. Birds are attracted to the color red. If the others see red blood or red skin they will peck her. The Blu-Kote will prevent that.

Shes actually almost fully healed at this point with new feathers almost already in; mostly just worried about this mean hen; gonna try chicken jail!

 

[aart]

I got four new hens, they were March babies, 2 barred rock, one buff orp., and one Americauna. The Americauna (who is just the sweetest) was missing tail feathers when I got her and about three days after getting them she was bleeding in the tail region

So pullets...was the bleeding tail from a pin feather being pecked?
Are these your only birds?
How long have you had them and were they all from the same flock/source?
How much space in coop and run when they are not ranging?

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[krowl]

Thank you all for your input; i put the one in “chicken jail/timeout” and immediately saw a difference. The three others are now dust bathing together and eating all the things as they free range together ...fingers crossed that this continues and that timeout works for this little gal!!

 

[MROO]

Thank you all for your input; i put the one in “chicken jail/timeout” and immediately saw a difference. The three others are now dust bathing together and eating all the things as they free range together ...fingers crossed that this continues and that timeout works for this little gal!!

Give them at least two weeks to sort out their new pecking order and settle into their new roles. Once they are established and settled, the old bully won't have as much power and will have to make her own way into the order. They'll readjust, and she'll likely settle somewhere in the middle.
Don't rush it! Give them the full two weeks, then sit back and watch it all unfold. And please, keep us posted!

 

[krowl]

So pullets...was the bleeding tail from a pin feather being pecked?
Are these your only birds?
How long have you had them and were they all from the same flock/source?
How much space in coop and run when they are not ranging?

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

Correct they are pullets...from the same source..the bleeding was raw skin and a blood feather...these are my only birds...the run if they are in it is about 10feet long...but they get out a decent amount to free range in the gardena etc. and ive had them a month...