Hen over-mounting another

[TheOvoOffice]

I have an all hen flock. One hen keeps mounting the newest (and smallest) gal. I ordered aprons. Will she have to forever wear an apron? Will the top gal eventually stop mounting her so much? It’s been about six months since she was brought into the flock and she is otherwise fairly integrated - no pecking, just this constant mounting by one hen. Thanks for any insight. Aprons/saddles are new to me since I’ve never had roosters.

I am 100% confident all are hens in my micro flock. I have personally seen each hen pop out an egg over the years. The hen mounting the other is a Buff Orpington 3 years old, top of the pecking order. This hen has mounted other hens occasionally over the years but is overdoing it with the new bantam pullet. She never pecks this pullet, just mounts her and is twice her size, causing damage. Will she ever slow down so my pullet can heal?

 

[azygous]

This is bullying. It's something that can have mild to very serious consequences if left unaddressed. You may be surprised to know that the real source of the bullying problem is not the top hen, but the bullying victim herself. When you integrated her, she was taught by the others that it would be futile to stand up for herself. Now, this behavior is how she has learned her place in the flock to be.

At best, things will continue and she will be abused but still survive. At worst, she will become withdrawn, weak from not getting enough to eat due to being bullied away from the feeder, and eventually sicken and die from starvation and abuse. Her subservient behavior perpetuates the problem, calling attention to herself as a doormat.

This has occurred in my flock and I accidentally discovered how to correct it. The technique actually works and the bullied hen will learn to stand up for herself. Here's my article on this technique. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

 

[TheOvoOffice]

This is bullying. It's something that can have mild to very serious consequences if left unaddressed. You may be surprised to know that the real source of the bullying problem is not the top hen, but the bullying victim herself. When you integrated her, she was taught by the others that it would be futile to stand up for herself. Now, this behavior is how she has learned her place in the flock to be.

At best, things will continue and she will be abused but still survive. At worst, she will become withdrawn, weak from not getting enough to eat due to being bullied away from the feeder, and eventually sicken and die from starvation and abuse. Her subservient behavior perpetuates the problem, calling attention to herself as a doormat.

This has occurred in my flock and I accidentally discovered how to correct it. The technique actually works and the bullied hen will learn to stand up for herself. Here's my article on this technique. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

Thanks for sharing! Of course I didn’t think of the victim. She is very subservient. Have you found that when you separate the lowest of the pecking order and reintegrate there are issues? If I understand your article correctly, it seems time away from the flock can do good for building up confidence. I just worry about re-integration being so hard for my little bird and worry she would be picked on even more.

 

[azygous]

Read the article again. I stress the importance of gradual reintegration to "test" the victim. After about a week in a safe pen, you start giving her time in the flock, maybe fifteen minutes the first day, half hour the next day, watching her and putting her back in seclusion if she loses her nerve when a bully confronts her.

The idea is to build confidence and not have her exposed to any extended periods of bullying before she's completely rehabilitated.

The easy part is removing her to a safe pen. The hard part is monitoring things as you reintegrate so she doesn't get discouraged and lose her hard won self confidence.