Legbar gone mad

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Hi all, update on Maizey. I sectioned off port of my run and built a little shelter. Put her in with my rooster who was being a meanie. They seemed happy back there together. Had room to move but couldn’t hurt anyone. She’s been laying eggs. We were all good for 2 months. I tried some short visits with the other birds. She does well if I’m standing there, but aggression would start as soon as I walk away. So, I haven’t pushed anything. I mean, it was working!

Well, today I found my rooster dead with his head torn open. It could have easily been a predator, but it could also have been my stupid legbar. This was the same kind of injury my little silkie had from her.

I don’t know what to do. She goes crazy when alone. But attacks her friends. My other hens are completely terrified of her.

I actually completely kicked her out of the run today and let her free range today. (We have lots of hawks) She spent most of her time today pacing the fencing trying to get back in rather than enjoying her time to scratch for bugs.

I don’t trust her around my hens at all. My polish hen likes to free range some under the trampoline while I do chores. The poor girl saw Maizey outside and turned right back around and came inside the run. Wouldn’t go out in the yard at all.

I did set up a dog crate with a makeshift roof, roost, food and water next to the run. So her food and water is good. She has somewhere with a roof during rain. I managed to shut her in there tonight.

I guess Maizey gets to live outside till she becomes hawk/racoon food. I hate this. She is super sweet with me, but such a big bully. I don’t want to make her someone else’s problem by rehoming either.

Soup. Time.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Soup. Time.

I agree. Culling her is more humane than making her a target for a predator.

 

[lomine]

Some birds just have something wrong with them. I had one like that too. Would pick on everyone for no real reason. She never hurt the others, but then she went broody. She decided instead of making her own nest she would take over everyone else's. She would kick a hen off her nest, then a day later move to another nest and kick that hen off. Finally landed on one that was about to hatch and killed all the chicks after they hatched. That was the last straw. She became chicken stock. And the calm that came over the rest of the flock after she was gone was evident.

 

[Hei-hei]

Yep, scalping injuries can be deadly. I'm sorry. I lost a hen to a vicious cockerel that way (they tend to keep at it into the brain).

It doesn't sound like she's going to change. Have you tried the pinless peepers? Maybe you might find her a good home where the other chickens are a lot bigger than her (it would be hard for her to get at their heads that way).

I did try the pinless peepers. It did nothing. I do have a friend with a huge flock inside a goat pen. He lets people drop off rooster all the time. Has some very large birds and lots of space. I’ll talk to him about it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

There is someone here who always says "solve for peace in the flock." Good luck.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I did try the pinless peepers. It did nothing. I do have a friend with a huge flock inside a goat pen. He lets people drop off rooster all the time. Has some very large birds and lots of space. I’ll talk to him about it.

Not sure putting a single hen in a flock of roosters is the best solution for the hen, though....

 

[FrostRanger]

If your friend will take her, give her to them. If not, she'll have to be culled

 

[Hei-hei]

Not sure putting a single hen in a flock of roosters is the best solution for the hen, though....

It’s not just roosters. They probably have over a hundred chickens. Lots and lots of hens too. I dropped one there before and there was zero drama because there are SO many birds.

 

[RememberTheWay]

I’ve got her in chicken jail again… further away and longer this time for sure!

I actually thought about dying Butterbean! My other two are black silkies. Not sure how I could dye her that color though.

Dye her purple or dark blue?

Editing to add that I commented about dying before I read the entire thread. Now, for this specific situation I agree with pp on cling. It sounds like she had the best kind of flock aggression and you are doing the species a favor by taking her out of the breeding equation

For others in a similar situation.aybe in the future who aren't in such a dire situation my advice on dying blue/purple would probably still help

 

[RcoM]

Maybe try rehoming her as a single chicken/ family pet? Poor rooster. The way the other hens act around Maisey tell me that they know what she did -and does. Mine were scared like that after an eagle took their sister. Traumatised. They will all be happier with her gone.