I Need Help!!!!i Lost One Of My Chickens Today

[farmergirl@heart]

I have or had 6 RIR hens that are about 6 months old and just started to lay 2 weeks ago. One of my hens was a runt, she didn't grow a comb, had no Waddles and no tail feathers. She was the most docile bird of the bunch. She was my favorite. When I got home today I found her dead, she was pecked to death. I picked RIR because of everything that I read about them is that they were docile and good layers but they really aren't docile. The one head hen can be mean and will peck at me. Did I do something wrong by treating her differently? Or is this normal because she never matured?

 

[cnj-tx50]

I have a mixed flock and I can say that out of the 6 RIR's that I have all are very mean except one. Even my Roo doesn't mess with them!! Sorry about your baby, but maybe there was something else that was going on

 

[PunkinPeep]

I don't think you did anything wrong. I suspect it is because she didn't mature. Chickens sense abnormalities and aren't enlightened as to 'equal opportunity.'

As to RIRs being docile......

My first flock was buff orpington, and when i decided to get more chickens, i got buff orpingtons, barred rocks, and rir - because they're all supposed to be docile. But in comparison, the rir are not very docile, in my opinion. A couple of them are friendlier than others, but when you compare these particular breeds side by side, rir do not seem particularly docile or friendly.

Oh, and when i have a chicken who is aggressive toward ME, i pick them up, tuck them under my arm, and make them "friend" for a while. Others may have other methods, but i don't want to be afraid of my own chickens, so i take the domineering route and let them know that i'm bigger than they are. I think it helps them to stop thinking they're so special.

I'm really sorry for your loss. I have a runt in my new flock, and i would be very sad if he/she ended up the same way. He's kind of my favorite too.

 

[blue fire]

I don't think it is really normal for a chicken to kill another because they are smaller... you can keep standards with bamtams

 

[farmergirl@heart]

Thank you SOOO much for your comments....it is really helpful. Can I introduce a diiferent breed to my coop if they are adult hens? Or should I just leave it as it is and have only 5. My coop is big enough for 12-14 hens.

 

[PunkinPeep]

farmergirl@heart :

Thank you SOOO much for your comments....it is really helpful. Can I introduce a diiferent breed to my coop if they are adult hens? Or should I just leave it as it is and have only 5. My coop is big enough for 12-14 hens.

Always happy to help!

You can, but you'll want them to be a similar size (or similar maturity), especially since yours don't seem to be particularly friendly.

So that would mean, if you get new chicks, housing them as a separate flock for several months. Or if you get adult chickens, still housing them separately for biosecurity quarantine - and then housing them so they can see each and get used to each other before intermingling them. So it depends on what kind of set-up and options you have.

And btw, i agree with blue fire. In your case, i don't think she was pecked because she was small but because she was abnormal.​

 

[Cetawin]

Also, and I know it will sound gross but...she may have died of natural causes and they pecked her corpse. Chickens can be cannibalistic and they will pick on a corpse if it left there too long. I just lost one for no apparent reason the other day...my girls were picking on her corpse when my daughter went into the coop and found her.

I have 2 RIRs and 1 NHR...the RIRs are standoffish but not mean and my NHR is my lead hen and a good nice girl.

 

[evonne]

Quote:
just a side note... i also do this with my roo when he gets "cocky" with me... carry him around football under hte arm style doing whatever i was doing anyway.... for about a half hour... .i've had to do it twice in the last maybe 2 months.. as the hens are getting to the laying age and he's figuring out his place... i don't think he was too fond of being left loose at the back half of hte acre when he'd never ventured that far before... lol.. took him 30 mins to find his way back to the front of the house.. he hasn't pulled an attitude with me since then... doesn't make him friendlier, but he knows who's in charge...
but you didn't say they were mean to you, just not overly social... doubt this will help make them more social.. lol.. i think the treats things works better for that