Hen bullying

[suzfleeg]

Hello everyone!

I have a Amerucana hen picking on the others, a small silkie for the most part. It all started when she started crowing one day. Everytime she crows she becomes evil and pecks the other girls. The weirdest thing is though that we have a rooster (a different silkie) who crows as well and is sweet as can be. I've taken to spraying her with a water bottle every time I catch her picking on the others but I have a job and can't monitor her all day. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[azygous]

What does your run look like? How large is it? Can it accommodate a "jail" section? Even a ten foot square area fenced off from the main part of the run can be invaluable for isolating an abusive individual or for rehabilitating a victim.

This issue involves not just a bully, but usually a victim, too. See my article here https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/ Much of the time, if you resolve why a hen is being bullied, it also fixes the bully's behavior, too.

An aggressive hen will usually back down after she establishes her rank over the others. Coincidentally, the hen with the pinless peepers shown in a photo in my article inside my jail pen was both a victim of bullying and a bully at separate times in her career as a "character". Dealing with chicken psychology can be every bit as challenging in chickens as in people.

 

[suzfleeg]

Thanks!

The run is 300-400 SQ feet and I have 4 hens, one rooster. They are all about 3.5 months old. I attached a pic. I could easily fit a jail in it but I would be more concerned o we what to do with her at night.

With regards to your article- I don't think I can do anything with the victim because she kinda picks on everyone, not just the silkie, but the silkie is her usual target. And it's not all the time, during the day she's usually fine. It's only right after she crows. If it makes any difference she is the biggest one- even bigger than the silkie rooster.

 

[aart]

They are all about 3.5 months old.......It's only right after she crows.

Umm, sounds like(from the crowing-haha!) you have a cockerel.
Please post pic of crowing bird.


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.

 

[Mrs. K]

try pin-less peepers

 

[suzfleeg]

So I don't have a pick of her/him on hand but it looks almost exactly like this one here. Mine has a bit of different coloring but she doesn't have spurs or a big waddle which is why I though she was a pullet. This is my first ever batch of chickens so I am still learning!

I ordered some pin-less peepers but they will take a while to get to me. I have a smaller run that came with my chicken coop I bought that I think I will keep her in on her own for a few days and see if that fixes the problem. I can put her in the coop at night with the others for safety.

 

[aart]

So I don't have a pick of her/him on hand but it looks almost exactly like this one here. Mine has a bit of different coloring but she doesn't have spurs or a big waddle which is why I though she was a pullet.

Really need to see the actual bird.
Pics of it at about 6 weeks may be more helpful.
Spurs don't grow in until much later than 3-4 months.

 

[suzfleeg]

eally need to see the actual bird.

Ok- I will get one tonight and see if that helps.

 

[suzfleeg]

Ok I got a few pics of her. She really doesn't sit still for long so I had to take several.

 

[Evelyn Walker]

Yep, the one on the right is a cockerel. He looks like an Easter Egger, so he won't get waddles or a standard comb.