If I remove my "whipping hen" will another replace her?

[dawgchick]

I have 10 layers + 1 roo (& a Tom). The ladies recently went through a molt and I'm happy to say are looking MUCH better.

I do have one hen with very specific bald spots. The front of her neck and a matching pair on the top of either wing. She also has the same bald spot on top of her head as everyone else. The wing spots I have deduced to be where the roo clamps on with his feet, tho no one else sports these. The neck spot baffles me. She's bright and spry in the flock, friendly with us as any other. Despite my vanity at an ugly chicken and my concern for her well-being, her spirit remains healthy.

I have a friend looking for some layers and while I like our round # of 10, I'm thinking of sending this sweetie to a new home, once the other chickens are attained. I don't want to give up any of ours, so sending over 2 or more is not an option.

My question is can I expect one of my other hens to become the newest victim of such physical misery? Does the flock need such a thing as a "whipping boy"?

Also, we are introducing 6 meat hens in the next few weeks. Perhaps I should hold off any rehoming until that new dynamic settles...?

What do you all think?

 

[Judy]

A single new chicken when introduced to an established flock generally becomes the lowest one in the pecking order. One method commonly used to manage this situation is to remove the top hen or "lead bully." You can often remove her from view of the flock for about a week, then when she is returned, it is as if she were a new chicken and will be at or near the bottom of the order. Or you could put the lead hen in a new flock where she will have to enter near or at the bottom of the order. Yes, there does seem to need to be one at the bottom, but that doesn't necessarily mean she has ongoing open injuries.

 

[chooks4life]

If you don't remove the whippers, yes, there will always be a whipping boy, as they will simply find another to whip. You don't really get rid of bullies by removing the victim. The victim is rarely actually the one at fault.

X2 what Judy said, although removing the bully hen/s for just a few days is often enough, but a week would be surer.

Chickens are social animals and have behaviors for expressing submission, challenge, etc. These are designed to avoid conflict where able. Continual attacks are not part of a healthily functioning social system; the harm is done in an attempt to change it. Normal status squabbles don't involve any real harm and if harm is being done, it can generally be expected to escalate. Occasional hierarchy challenges between closely matched animals are normal and healthy, but continuing assaults against another animal, who is not challenging its attacker over its status, are not healthy.

Why is your subordinate hens' submission being ignored? Often in caged birds this is because he/she cannot leave the territory of the alpha/s, who continue to attack as they are being ignored when they attempt to drive the unwanted animal away. It's not the subordinates' fault that they can't obey as they're prevented by the cage.

You then have a few choices but basically removing the bully is the best bet for longer term peace. I personally don't care for any of the reasons a chook might bully another --- they are bored, they are frustrated, etc is not good enough for me. I should define what I mean by bullying, there: when a bird goes out of its way to attack another one who is not offering them a challenge. Their behaviors can be subtle, i.e. two roosters with a desire to fight will just gravitate towards one another without an obvious challenge being offered, but it's not the same as one bird being devoted to chasing and attacking another one who clearly doesn't want to fight.

But there are other reasons why the attacks might be happening too... If you haven't limed the coop floor in a while this can help as pathogens and parasites build up over time and this stresses the animals.

If the diet is simply a commercial mix labeled as 'complete' it's usually best to disregard that claim and add extra nutrition as many chickens are suffering deficiency diseases on so-called complete diets and lack of adequate nutrition triggers some kind of depopulation or dispersal instinct.

Hens approaching brooding will sometimes try to rearrange/reinforce their place on the social ladder, even if they were already high on it, as a hen building a clutch and her physical brooding resources needs the best diet, the best nesting area, the best mate, and the best chances for her offspring, so her instincts compel her to act accordingly.

Also, some animals are just outright bullies and are fixated on it. Because I value quality of life for even the lowest rung of the hierarchy I remove incorrigible bullies, it's often a strongly genetically-based trait and they're not worth the bother they create. Continuing or regular stress does bad things to their productivity and health never mind quality of life.

Best wishes with sorting out your issues.

 

[dawgchick]

I should add some more info...

Our flock free ranges 2 acres, locked in the coop at night. All of our hens are identical and other than the bottom two, are indistinguishable. Second from the bottom has good feathers coming in.

We never witness anyone but the rooster agressing and they seem to like him. I do think this one hen puts more flight into avoiding his efforts and wonder if that's why he's rougher with her? He's generally a nice boy and no one else has any bald spots, especially since we've turned them out.

I want to help her but dread another taking her spot and so-on, until I have no birds left! My friend wants just 4 hens on her 2 acre yardsite, no rooster.

 

[chooks4life]

I should add some more info...

Our flock free ranges 2 acres, locked in the coop at night. All of our hens are identical and other than the bottom two, are indistinguishable. Second from the bottom has good feathers coming in.

We never witness anyone but the rooster agressing and they seem to like him. I do think this one hen puts more flight into avoiding his efforts and wonder if that's why he's rougher with her? He's generally a nice boy and no one else has any bald spots, especially since we've turned them out.

As for whether he's rough because she's avoiding him, that could be a cause of feather loss if he's one to catch hens and coerce matings if they're not keen. Most roosters are like that. It's not the best situation but it's normal, anyway. But it can be hard to say whether he's rough because he has to catch her or if she's running from him because he hurts her. Plenty of hens learn to avoid roosters and even get into a panic about them because the roosters hurt them.

If you do get rid of this one and get another hen and she takes the same spot, it's then a case of you either putting up with that or removing those who are causing the lower-ranked hen to suffer. Bullying is very rarely solved by removing the victim. A lot of people just put up with it, it's a personal choice at the end of the day. Strict culling against it is my choice but it's not for everyone and that's fine.

Best wishes.

 

[dawgchick]

Thanks for your advice, all. I'm going to wait out some flock dynamic changes for a few weeks. The Turkey is going, new chicks will be integrated and the Roo himself might even go, if hubby wins the 4:30 am crowing debate.

Our poor raggedy Anne is still happy and cooing about. I've noticed that she's actually one of the 4 closest hens to the rooster, so I don't get it. I think we'll try the duck tape if the rain ever stops. Maybe if she heals up she'll stay healed up! I'm glad no one seems to be pecking to the point of blood, even weeks into it.