How do you all do it???

[savingpurple]

I am a city girl that is doing her best to learn, live off the land, and just getting in to livestock. Chickens are my 1st adventure.

That said, I work where we sell chicks once a year for a period of a few weeks. I have been the one for the last 4 years to take care of the sick, injured chicks at work, and when it has required, have brought them home to finish taking care of them.

I have one hen, that was so badly injured, that I didn't think would survive. She had a severe neck wound, from the others pecking her, almost opened side to side. Should have let the guys do the deed that sometimes needs to be done. BUT, I felt there was hope.....there was.

Now I have a 17 week old leghorn, that started laying for me at 15 1/2 weeks. She is the meanest, nastiest, witch of a hen, to the other hens, I have ever seen. My other hens are terrified, and only 2 out of 6 are laying and they are going on 20 weeks. I feel there is so much tension from daily, hourly attacks on them, they are afraid, literally, to walk into the coop. Let alone relax enough to lay.

I have her BACK in the crate, but with the other hens, inside the coop at night, and outside during the day. The others get along just peachy, and tonight closing up shop, was such a joy, without the brutal attacks to all the other hens.

She is so sweet to me......how do you end a life, you saved, that is so sweet to you???? How do you all do it??? I am hoping that there is something that is not right in my coop, outddoor run, food, something that makes her the way she is. ?? Or maybe she just is a witch, and needs to go?

Why am I having such a hard time with this????

 

[sourland]

Keep her in "time out" for a week or so. When you reintroduce her to the flock, her position may be diminished, and they may kick her butt and put her in her place. Good luck.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
x2 I would try this before making any more "permanent" decisions.

 

[DanEP]

Quote:
Yep chicken jail might work wonders. I just paroled a young br roo and it help with his attitude towards the others a lot.

 

[ChicKat]

Hi savingpurple,

If the above methods don't work, then consider rehoming your leghorn. A now healthy 17 week old leghorn that is laying could be a great addition to someone's flock. If you explain the dominant behavior to any potential buyer/adopter, then they wouldn't be blindsided at all. You need to protect your other chickens, and a different flock dynamic may make this hen successful. She would just be elsewhere.

Good luck. PS, I was born in Toledo.

 

[Gullygarden]

Or maybe she is the exception to the rule and would be a good solitary pet since she is nice to people. I had a solitary hen once and she was very happy - while others mostly are not happy alone, and you can tell!

 

[nzpouter]

you need a roo.

 

[savingpurple]

Tried the solitary confinement, and reintorduction, and with in 30 minutes was attacking them again. Been down all the roads you all have been gracious enought to suggest, other than the final road.....

She really doesn't pick to much on the other leghor, so maybe willjust build a seperate mini coop for two?? The only other thing that I was thinking is maybe there is not enough room in the outdoor run, so the fencing is all bought, to enlarge it, just waiting on cooler weather......so about October we should be good to go...

If this doesn't work, I will have to make the hard decision.

ChicKat...

PS, I was born in Toledo.

My exact neck of the woods....​

 

[Arielle]

Saving Purple, You may have forgotten the rehoming option. That is how I got my first hen. We loved her. She was too picked on in the small group she lived with, rather than the aggression you are dealing with. For many months our 1 hen lived with us and our many other farm animals, especially the sheep!

With the amount of effort you have invested in this girl, I think you would be happier if she had a happy home; maybe it's with you, maybe it's with someone else. Can you accommodate her, give her her own housing? Or is rehoming a better option? You are in the best position to judge what will work for you. GL

 

[cobrien]

you could also try pinless peepers. I haven't used them but folks say they work. they block the vision in front of the bird but they can still see down to eat and drink and it reduces pecking.