I am sooo fed up!

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Every time. Every stinking time I introduce new, big and imposing hens into my coop they get dominated and cowed by my game hen. Every stinking time. And when I say dominated, I mean that my mean girl literally chases them around and around, coop to run to coop to run, off perches, out of nesting boxes, away from food and water, she keeps them on the run until they finally give up and leap to the top of the nesting box and quiver there for about 23/24 hours of the day. Every day. The only reprieve they get is when the mean girl goes to lay, which takes her anywhere from 1 or so hours. I just introduced two new Delaware girls who dwarf the mean hen by about two times each...these are some huge ladies! But now I have a new wrinkle to add. My new delawares are so shaken and scared they are now taking to hiding, together mind you, in the only nesting box the other girls will use. That means they are using it as a port a john and keeping it occupied while the other hens just pace outside clucking. I have had it!! I have run these bigger and supposed to be tougher girls out of the box all stinking day!!!!! I am so DISGUSTED. Had to vent. Also, if you have advice, I would appreciate it, but just to let everyone know, getting rid of the mean girl is out of the question. She is my husband's "baby".

Also, isolating her does NOT work. She comes back be it in a day or two weeks with an even worse attitude. And she is not even the top hen!

 

[donnavee]

Welllll, getting rid of her was my answer. How about a Rooster to keep her in line? Or let your hubby build her a time out coop- where she can spend the rest of her life???

 

[Break an Egg]

I think you should come and get my tweedle dee and tweedle dumb. They are some mean girls. I actually put an add on Craigslist because they are so mean.


here's their pic:

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

We have a rooster. And she is his favorite. Hence, no discipline.

Break an Egg, I would LOVE to take your girls just to put my meanie in line, but alas, you live many states away.... : (

 

[Break an Egg]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

We have a rooster. And she is his favorite. Hence, no discipline.

Break an Egg, I would LOVE to take your girls just to put my meanie in line, but alas, you live many states away.... : (

Try getting the Silver laced wyandottes from Ideal, cause that what these are.


What you could do is take out meanie, add new hens, and add meanie after the new hens are comfy. This way the new hens think the meanie is invading on their territory.

You could always put an add on CL for mean hens.

 

[lacasitarojafarm]

Quote:
My Best broody is EXACLY this same type of hen. She's caramel/black colored and you just TRY to get near her chicks...just TRY!

 

[Break an Egg]

Quote:
My Best broody is EXACLY this same type of hen. She's caramel/black colored and you just TRY to get near her chicks...just TRY!

LOL they love me, but are so agressive to my smaller hens.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

I want to vent some more lol....I think many people, not anyone who has commented here so far though, think I am exaggerating my mean girl's behavior....and no, there is no bloodshed, but she honestly STALKS any new girls. Example: this afternoon we put 4 pans of food in the coop/run. Three were in the run, one was in the coop for the Delaware girls. Beatrix had two "run" bowls to herself, but she looked and saw the delawares eating out of the one bowl in the coop. She waltzed in, mauled them, ran them out, ate some, then burst out to confront them at the next bowl...this process was repeated until the delawares were hiding in the nest box, not having eaten more than a teaspoon each. I am fuming. The last time I tried adding hens was about a month ago. We added two BO girls, big mean girls, and my mean hen harassed them until they lost so much weight that after three weeks I broke down and sold them, for their own well being. I am sick of not being able to add any hens when I have more than enough room but a territorial bird that won't allow outsiders!

 

[Break an Egg]

I have definately read about a hen "teaching" other hens not to eat, maybe she needs to be in a pen with some other game hens, preferrably ones with spurs. That may teach her, but then again you may have another monster on your hands, maybe not though.

 

[featherbaby]

Maybe you should try some sort of distraction to keep her occupied on herself instead of the newbies. Maybe a chicken saddle, or little booties for her feet. I might try a loose scrunchie around her neck (stretchy enough she is not choked nor can she get caught on something). Usually an animal will be so focused on getting away from the offending clothing that they don't have time to chase others.

Just an idea.

Of course, there's always the blindfold.