lead hen

[chicks]

I have 4 Buff Orp's that have gone into a molt. I have 1 silver laced wyand. My problem started this weekend. The SLW had started to pick on the Buff orp's . I s this because they are in a weakened state? She has become very agressive expecially with one of them. I put her in a crate in our basement for 24 hrs and reintroducered this morning and she started in again. What souuld I do. Please help.

 

[bills]

I never really thought of birds in molt, actually being considered in a "weakened state", as such? Perhaps they are weakened from some other cause? The aggressive hen may sense that.

Once she is established as the head in the pecking order, usually things calm down pretty quick. If it keeps up and gets bad, you may have to separate her for a time. The one bird she is picking on more than the others, may have been the previous head bird.