I am sooo fed up!

[tammyd57]

Quote:

I wouldn't want to meet those two in a dark alley!
They look like they'd roll you and take your wallet to buy scratch.

 

[Long Last Farm]

Your husband is obviously aware that his "favorite pet chicken" is out of control and is terrorizing the other birds, since he was willing to block the little beast physically with his own body while the other birds got a chance to eat or drink. Is he willing to do that EVERYDAY, several times a day to ensure the health and safety of the other birds? If not, what is HIS plan for providing safety, food and water for the rest of the birds? Owners have a responsibility for all their birds, not just their favorite ones.. If he can't come up with a better plan, I would insist the little beast be in a large cage (inside the coop so she could see the other birds and still be part of the group) permanently, if necessary.

 

[JROOSTER]

Someone might have already said this, but here is what you have to do. Tell the husband its time for a 2nd coop. One for nice girls and one for bad girls!!!! Tell him MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!

 

[zippitydooda]

Quote:
Oooooooooooooooooooh look at the stink eye on those two! WOW! They even LOOK mean! LOL!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm thinking it will take much longer to integrate hens to your game hens flock than normal. I've introduced new birds twice so far. The fist ones took a week beore they were not harrassed and become low on totem pole of flock. Though this was when the girls were much younger pullets. Pecking order was established during free range time and was not harsh at all. The second time was rediculas! The girls were 5 mo. old and simply did not want the 2-5 mo. white leghorns anywhere near them. When out of run would push them off from any food they found or I'd provided. Even though I had a dog cage next to the run/coop the Leghorns would roost in a tree and then stand around the run all day. I'd let the girls out of run for afternoon and they'd imediately would chase the Leghorns about the yard.

It took 2 weeks before the constant harrassment stopped. Three weeks before they would tolerate the Leghorns to be sitting down within 3 feet of any of them. At 4 weeks the leghorns finnaly went into the coop at night. They are not harrassed anymore, lowest in pecking order for sure, and are perfectly integrated in flock now. They all travel together about the yard.

I believe you need time and any sort of enclosure for your game hen to be safe from predators and next to the run to see the other chickens all day for weeks. A dog cage or what have you to give your hubby's girl some much needed time out to acclimate. You rarely can add chcikens to an established flock's pen, or in your case a crochety birds home, without the side by side easing into introductions.

Good luck.

 

[chicmom]

Ummm, just forget to lock the "mean girl" in at bedtime.......She will probably just be a few feathers by morning........

 

[teach1rusl]

If you have an entire weekend to devote, then you could plan on babysitting in the coop for most of a Saturday and Sunday with a big water bottle. That HELPED (didn't fix the problem, but it got a LOT better) me with a mean girl. I stuck a seat out in the run, took a book, and made myself comfortable. Every time she'd start stalking, I'd start squirting her in the face. My hope was that, since the streams of water appeared to come out of nowhere, that she'd think the two she was stalking had done it somehow...lol. I'm able to freerange, so when outside the run, I'd chase her if she acted that way (like you, I kind of felt bad about that part).
Other than that, the only thing I can think of is wiring off a section of the run for just her (or her and a buddy), and putting a covered litter box or somthing in there for egg laying. Then let them roost with the others at night, but back into their own area the next day????

 

[bburn]

New coop, new run. If all else fails at least.

I just did it. The difference in my flock is amazing. Mine was a rooster that was being attacked by another rooster. It was his fault because he would not leave the hens alone. But, I liked both roosters. So, I built another run and I have him his own girls in quarantine. Now the original flock is calm and peaceful

I have another problem when it is time to intergrate I am sure. But I have already put a divider up in the new run to get ready to move the girls in this weekend. They have been far away but he can see them. Today I am moving them up next to the run so he can see them up close. Next week into the divided off part. Then it will be a while before they are all put together. There is shelter on both sides but the new coop will be built in two weeks.

Once the new coop is built the divider will come down and they will all be put in the new coop at night together. (with maybe a few nondivider visites during the day first. But no one will go in the new coop until I am comfortable that they are not going to kill each other) I also have lots of hidey places for them set up. Chicken cabana for one. Tote box with a hole cut in it with bedding inside. Two of those. There are things for them to get on top of also.

But Peepers....I had not thought of that and am going to order some today. One of the new hens is a little aggressive. Two hens and three pullets. The nice thing is the pullets have gotten their size while in quarantine. So, I am just going to take it one step at a time and see if things work out. But provide them with lots of distractions. BOSS, scratch and greens.......

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

To anyone who had constructive and kind suggestions (even some humorous "eat her" thoughts lol) thank you so much and I am going to try them all until I find something that works. For anyone who criticized (seriously, not in a joking way) my husband or my intent to keep my mean girl, let me just say that as I know chickens, even if we got rid of her, we would probably have another hen take up the "dominant" role because our chickens are not free ranged. To imply, or outright say that we would let our other chickens suffer unnecessarily because of this hen is rude and undeserved. I wouldn't have started this post if I thought her beating up the others was okay. Our hens are not "suffering". They are simply lower on the totem pole at the moment but if you would read my post from last night, the new girls are isolated until I get the problem handled. I do not believe that selling her and sending the problem to someone else is the solution. She lays daily (which is all we ever wanted), and she is a smallish game bird so it wouldn't be nearly worth the effort to eat her. She is also friendly and inquisitive with people and very comical and talks alot. I will fix the problem so suggesting I or my husband are somehow being inhumane is a slap in the face. If there is nothing funny or constructive, please do not post as you are just spreading negativity.

On a lighter note, what are "peepers" and wear can I buy a pair or a hundred LOL?

 

[tammyd57]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

On a lighter note, what are "peepers" and wear can I buy a pair or a hundred LOL?

This is one company that sells them : here
There are different kinds, the pinless ones don't puncture the membrane in the nostril so I like those.
My feed store sells them in pack of 5, 10, 25 etc. But ordering online most places have 25 as a minimum, but they are so cheap it doesn't matter if you have some left over.

It makes them look like they are wearing little sunglasses!