I have an anti social chicken...help

[FlyingNunFarm]

Does she lay eggs? Sometimes hens can have a hormone imbalance and take on rooster traits. Including spurs and crowing. Generally though, they then do not lay eggs.

Some humane societies or apl places will also rescue farm animals. You would need to be careful with possible health concerns.

Did she ever have chicks in her flock? I wonder if she would take to younger birds better. Not a threat to her head hen status. Then again she could beat them up easier.

If you decide to add to the family I would add multiple at once. Harder for her to single someone out for bullying.

Good Luck!

 

[aart]

So this is your only bird?
Do you have a coop and run?

It's not unusual for hens to have spurs.
Chickens have a hierarchical society that can be vicious when establishing the 'pecking order'. You'll need to understand that, and accommodate it, if you plan on adding other birds. Integrating more birds to this feisty 'problem bird' is going to be a challenge, you'll need 2 adjacent enclosures.

Integration of new chickens into flock.

Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
BYC 'quarantine' search

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock