Hen that believes she is a rooster? Even though I have a rooster?

[SarahMG]

Biddy had started attacking all of my other hens, and even my large Plymouth-Barred Rock rooster. My chickens are missing feathers, and due to the cold weather, I thought it best to put her in a temporary pen next to my other chicken to let the others get their feathers back. (Lady, the other isolated chicken, is bow-legged, and is attacked constantly by all the other chickens.) Somehow, she got in with Lady, and I when I found them in the evening, they were happily cuddled up together under Lady's heat lamp. I fed them, and Biddy stood guard like a rooster while Lady ate, and started "growling" at me when I came to close. I think Lady likes the company, and I honestly think Biddy would protect Lady should something happen. Should I leave them together, and just let Biddy think she is a rooster?

 

[Folly's place]

Sounds like a good solution to me. Is Biddy an older hen? They sometimes develop an ovarian tumor that changes their behavior. Mary

 

[SarahMG]

All of my chickens are very close in age. They are a little over two years old. The Plymouth Barred Rocks are only a week older than the Rhode Island Reds.

 

[newbie32]

Biddy had started attacking all of my other hens, and even my large Plymouth-Barred Rock rooster. My chickens are missing feathers, and due to the cold weather, I thought it best to put her in a temporary pen next to my other chicken to let the others get their feathers back. (Lady, the other isolated chicken, is bow-legged, and is attacked constantly by all the other chickens.) Somehow, she got in with Lady, and I when I found them in the evening, they were happily cuddled up together under Lady's heat lamp. I fed them, and Biddy stood guard like a rooster while Lady ate, and started "growling" at me when I came to close. I think Lady likes the company, and I honestly think Biddy would protect Lady should something happen. Should I leave them together, and just let Biddy think she is a rooster?

I think this sounds like a great solution! Now Lady wont be lonely AND the rest of your girls will be happier. Keep her with Lady and let her think she is a roo.

 

[SarahMG]

Ok, thanks everyone! I really hope this works, because she's making all of my other chickens look really rough. I really thought something was getting in and attacking them until I caught Biddy in the act of attacking another hen.

 

[SarahMG]

Well, I'm sad to say that I had to dissolve the Lady-Biddy friendship this afternoon. I went to check on the girls (and Luna) this afternoon, and caught BIddy in the act of pecking Lady on the butt. And upon closer examination, I found a spot on Lady's back side that had absolutely no feathers. So, Biddy is back to solitary confinement, and Lady is back by herself (Not that she's too upset about it. She gets all her food and corn to herself now!). I guess Biddy will just have to stay by herself until she learns some manners....

 

[SarahMG]

This situation just keeps getting more and more ridiculous.

So, Biddy and Lady are in side-by-side pens that are against my chicken run. They all can see each other, but they are unable to pick at each other.

I go out every night after dark to make sure Lady is up under her heat-lamp. But I arranged the heat-lamp so that Biddy could also be under it. I got out there, and Lady was happily sitting under her lamp, cuddled up and asleep. Biddy, on the other hand, is as far away from the lamp as she could possibly be, sitting IN her corn dish. And in the middle of her pen, is an EGG!!! Now, this girl hasn't laid an egg in months! What is going on???