Let it go - right?

[navasima]

My new hen is being a capital B at evening time. She'll get in the coop first and peck at everyone else as they try to go to bed. The first night, I pulled her out and held her until everyone else was in. Tonight I just watched. As long as none of them are getting injured, this is normal pecking order stuff - yes? As long as no one is hurt or being kept from food/water I should just keep an eye out and give it a couple of weeks?

SHoot! I thought the flock usually picks on the new kid, not the other way around!

Info: 12 month old Shamo cross; just about bald from roos; hen added to a flock of 12 ranging from 10 weeks to 18 months + ; this is day 2; they avoid her like she's godzilla; no overt fighting or injury; new girl - Shula - is definitely letting everyone know she's the boss; she laid a lovely egg about 90 minutes after coming home

Thanks for any input/reassurance you may have.


Please understand - my oddball flock of misfits is quite the story as is the reason she didn't go into quarantine - you don't want to read a novel

 

[TinyChickenLady]

Try putting her in time out. Put her in a cage for a while so she can see but can't touch. Maybe if she stays in there the appropriate amount of time, she will come out a little lower on the totem pole.

 

[CMV]

As long as no one is getting hurt I think you should try to stay uninvolved from pecking order issues. If she feels she can be mistress of the flock then let her try. The other birds will either let it go, or bring her low. You should only get involved if someone is bleeding.

Good luck.

 

[mommissan]

When I brought my flock home, I had a very nasty white pullet that pecked everybody. Eventually everyone got sick of her and gave it back. No bleeding, just a badly bruised ego. She's at the bottom of the pecking order now, and even a bit skittish. It all works itself out.

 

[wyododge]

We let it go for a couple of days. Them My wife decided to step in. She stood right next to the little turd (BIG white wyandot) and when she grabbed and pulled the feathers out of one of the others... POW knocked her off the roost on her tail feathers. That bird is still #1 or #2 (mostly #2) but she no longer grabs and pulls, just kinda nicks. She also stands outside now until all the other girls are in the coop. Kinda like she is standing watch. When everyone is in, she walks in, jumps on the roost and settles in for the night.

We had a NH red that would peck at us, same thing except she got a shoe in the egg hole, and an uncontrolled flying lesson. Problem solved, and she is one of the friendliest birds we have now (next to my wife

who is definitely the cutest ).

We don't hesitate to give a well deserved (and earned) correction, it has seemed to work for us and the birds. The peck and poke, but they certainly do not grab and yank anymore.

 

[the-bird-man]

in my flock of girls i am the rooster and i will put the girls back in line when they need it, i will take two fingers and peck them on the head or i will pull them off the roost or i even have a time out cage but the cage is not used much. i am okay with a little pecking but if they get out of line i put them back in line

 

[sourland]

Quote:
X 2 Sensible poultry husbandry based approach.

 

[navasima]

Thanks for the responses!! ...will continue to watch hands off for now.....

 

[SteveBaz]

Why not hold her in a chair as they come in and not let her act like that for a few days. If she is not a good girl put her in jail by the way of a confined cage and let them walk by her and go to bed and lastly open up the cage and let her go into the dark last. They do not see well in the dark so she will be to late to react like that.

She is just doing what nature told her to. She is a Alpha girl and is telling each girl she is by the pecking and the behavior. She cant help it, its just what she need to do to establish herself with the flock. If you brought in a Alpha Rooster he would be much harder I believe with them and his dominance to the girls. Keep trying it will stop and work itself out soon. You'll see!! Good luck.... Patience.

 

[navasima]

Patience! I'm starting to think that's a cuss word!!!

Thanks again all - I'll hang in there. I figure, hey - it's not up to me who's top of the ladder. As long as there are no injuries...the feathered pups will have to cope!