loaner hen

[littlestrohsun]

I have 14 birds, 1 rooster. All have been raised from 1 day old exposed to kids, handled and ver sweet dosile. I integrated a flock of 7 hens, that were tight knit group with 1 loaner (These are all rhode islanders), with a tight flock of 4 (1rooster) this was 3 aracanas and one RI red. They seem to be getting along beautifully until one day the two aracona hens are trying to behead my loaner RI red. They are free range on large amt of land and I have kept them separate at night but for the second time now they have attacked her to the point of tearing her skin to look like ground meat. I can dr her okay as a vet tech of 11 yrs but I am concerned about the winter coming and not being able to keep them separate. I can home her to a friend but curious what the likelihood the hens will bully another when she is gone....or if there is something I can do to keep her. I really hate loosing a hen!! Help!

 

[drumstick diva]

You can put them in time out (separate cages) away from the flock. Give them a few days there then turn them loose with supervision. If they go back to their old habits they need pinless peepers. Bullies are great at teaching others to be bullies also. Either they can be separated from the flock permanently or the loaner does to save her life. I'm not sure what you mean by loaner. Will she stay with you a short time or quite awhile? If the hens are impossible to straighten out, you have to decide if they go to the stew pot, or find new homes.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have had single chickens bullied or attacked, sometimes because they were sick with something unknown, or because they were just very low in the pecking order. Some chickens are just too docile in mixed flocks, breeds such as faverolles and polish, and make be picked on. I would spend some time with them sitting in a lawn chair watching flock dynamics, and if you have a couple of bullies, you may want to re-home them instead, if temporary chicken jail doesn't help.

 

[littlestrohsun]

Loaner because, she doesn't hang close or around the other girls. She is always off on her own adventure I guess. So time out the bullies or the injured?