I have a really mean hen...

[sarah.pinta]

Recently acquired three ex-bat hens (due for slaughter) so they are about 18 months old. Have had these since Sunday so only a week. Was very lucky and I got three eggs on the Monday, only two on Tuesday and then I have one on Friday. I was fully informed about them establishing a pecking order buy my god one of my hens is really nasty. Funny enough she is the one with the less feathers which means she has had the toughest time whilst being in a cage but my other two chickens are absolutely petrified of her.

For three hens I have a reasonable size coop and run which could accommadate for 5-6 hens so space is not an issue. For three hens there are two water points and two feeding point all scattered round the pen so again this is not an issue.

Miss grump as we have nicknamed her just goes for these other two hens all the time, even when they are just milling around in the coop. Internet sites suggest leaving them to it for at least 14 days to adjust and sort there pecking order out but I am worried that 1. the other hens are not getting their fair share of water/food 2. has their egg laying stopped because they are stressed/unhappy because of "the bully".

Has anyone else had this problem and am i just worrying about something that should be naturally happening.

 

[dawnchick]

The laying could indeed have stopped or slowed down from stress, from the bully or even the move. You are right that some are just mean, and with their background....

We bought straight run and put most of the boys in the freezer. I put one hen in the freezer because she was incredibly mean to everyone.

You are the best judge of how long to wait to see if they settle down. It does take some time, but....