How aggressive is too aggressive?

[Henriettamom919]

I have three layers (a Buff Orp and two Barred Rock) all 10 months old, great regular layers in good health and generally a pretty tight knit little flock.

I have four pullets about 10-12 weeks (one is a bit younger than the other three thanks to the "we have to box them for you" policy at the Coastal farm and feed I got them from); one Ameraucana, one EE, one RIR and one Blue Andalusian.

We've been doing the look don't touch for about three weeks solid now. I've been doing some supervised forage time and my BO still spends that entire time watching, clucking and ultimately chasing the littles. I keep thinking she'll get bored and get in on the sprouted seed her flockmates are scratching in the flower bed I created for this very purpose but if I give them 20minutes she'll spend all 20 chasing them or looking for them to chase. She does peck some although she's never pulled out a feather or anything. Same if I give them 45 minutes, an hour, etc.

I'm hoping to start training the littles to free range soon (their coop is in its own enclosed overgrown garden I refer to as "Learning to Chicken Academy") but I'm worried she's still so invested in hunting them down.

Any suggestions? I've tried treat distractions and intervening/positive reinforcement.

 

[sourland]

I'd isolate her from the chicks and other birds during free ranging until the chicks are fully accepted by her original flock mates. They are still a bit young to stick up for themselves against a much larger bird.

 

[Henriettamom919]

Thank you @sourland ; it doesn't help that my BO is my little personal buddy. She flops down either in my lap or against my thigh whenever I sit outside so I'm sure she's jealous of the attention they get.

On the plus side all is harmonious in my layer flock for once as their unified disdain for the littles has superseded any internal flock dynamic issues

 

[aart]

I'd isolate her from the chicks and other birds during free ranging

This about the only intervention that will help...they don't understand positive reinforcement for the most part.

it doesn't help that my BO is my little personal buddy. She flops down either in my lap or against my thigh whenever I sit outside so I'm sure she's jealous of the attention they get.

This could indeed be part of the problem. Is she low bird?

 

[Henriettamom919]

This about the only intervention that will help...they don't understand positive reinforcement for the most part.


This could indeed be part of the problem. Is she low bird?

Yes, she's technically low bird. There hasn't been much squabbling amongst the three older since moving into their newer, bigger digs and their shared dislike of the littles seems to have bonded them but there's been no upset in pecking order, either.

When the time comes and I isolate her will she come out a target for aggression from our alpha, Carol, again? I mean, it is what it is but since she's already the 'submissive' girl among her flock I'm just trying to be prepared.

Eta- Carol isn't as mean as she used to be since she also has taken to roosting on and then napping upon my person; seems when I'm outside I'm always wearing the seasons latest chicken trends

 

[aart]

Low birds are often the most aggressive to newbies...whether protecting their status or just glad to have someone lower to beat on...not sure, maybe both.

I wouldn't leave her isolated for long, maybe just a couple hours so the chicks can mingle with the other birds....just some short timeouts.

You could also mix things up by putting a couple of the older birds in one enclosure and let the chicks range with the others...then swap things out...Chicken Juggling!
Again, just for a few hours. Be creative, rock their world.

 

[Ridgerunner]

First a personal rant. I remember so many posts on here about how mean and rough BR are to other chickens and how sweet and nice the BO's are. My contention is that the breed does not matter nearly as much as the personality of the individual chickens. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Your three are laying. I would not want to do something that would train your BO to lay somewhere other than the nest if I could avoid it. But you want the younger ones to learn to lay in the nests when they start. That may be a bit of a dilemma. But that may be the lesser of two evils. Not sure how I'd manage that.

This happens when they are free ranging. This kind of stuff often happens when they are in tight spaces. Tick that box, crowding is not your issue. Thanks for providing enough info so we can discount that.

Does the BO always go after the same chick? I've had chickens (Usually a cockerel but could be a pullet) pick out one specific chicken that they go after with the intent to kill. They don't go after any other chicken, just that specific one. I don't know why, a personality conflict.

Whether she is feather pulling or not, the pecking is what concerns me. I've seen chickens tear a frog or mouse into bite-sized pieces, their pecking is that powerful. If the BO traps a chick against a fence it could become fatal. You are observing them, I'm not, so I don't now how severe that pecking is. But if she is still chasing after 45 minutes or an hour, that's just not right.

I think Aart is right, for what ever reason that hen is aggressive toward those chick(s). I have seen separation alter behaviors. A two week old chick killed a sibling and started attacking another. I locked it up for a day and returned it to the broody and other chicks about dark. It behaved after that. I've locked adults up for a couple of days with good results. It doesn't always help but I'd try it.

I would not be that surprised if this behavior continues until the young ones mature enough to force their way into the pecking order. For my pullets that is usually a week or two after they start to lay. Until then my pullets do not stand up to a more mature chicken. You may have another two or three months to go.

When I have issues I try to determine if it is an individual chicken problem or a flock wide issue. I try to solve for the benefit of the flock as a whole, not in favor of any one chicken. I know it may sound ruthless and your goals are different than mine, but if that BO disappears, whether permanently or for a couple of months, your problems probably disappear.