Mama hen being picked on by flock

[sharondoright]

I went to spend time this afternoon with my girls. Mama has started taking her adopted babes out in the covered run - most of the other hens spend days under shade of their old coop in the "uncovered" area. I have noticed one senior member of the group menacing mama. Today, while they enjoyed their mealworms, senior diva repeated came to pick on mama. I intervened and wouldn't allow her to enter the covered area. A 2nd hen - one who has been very underdog status, and who has been hanging in the roost with mama and babes, also started picking on mama. I spread the worms all around, inside and outside, to alleviate crowding and bickering. All I've heard is NO one messes with mama hens. Chicks are just short of 3 weeks old. Are those hens jealous, telling mama to get back to the program, or just randomly being biddies. The underdog hen seemed to put herself in between mama and babes for a short time, until mama called babes to another area. Mama has not shown any problem with underdog and welcomed her in the babe vicinity, while all others were shunned. I didn't see any aggression toward the babes, thankfully.

 

[sourland]

It's all part of working her way back into her position in the pecking order. As long as she and the chicks are not being physically injured, I would allow them to work things out.

 

[Ghosty]

I went to spend time this afternoon with my girls. Mama has started taking her adopted babes out in the covered run - most of the other hens spend days under shade of their old coop in the "uncovered" area. I have noticed one senior member of the group menacing mama. Today, while they enjoyed their mealworms, senior diva repeated came to pick on mama. I intervened and wouldn't allow her to enter the covered area. A 2nd hen - one who has been very underdog status, and who has been hanging in the roost with mama and babes, also started picking on mama. I spread the worms all around, inside and outside, to alleviate crowding and bickering. All I've heard is NO one messes with mama hens. Chicks are just short of 3 weeks old. Are those hens jealous, telling mama to get back to the program, or just randomly being biddies. The underdog hen seemed to put herself in between mama and babes for a short time, until mama called babes to another area. Mama has not shown any problem with underdog and welcomed her in the babe vicinity, while all others were shunned. I didn't see any aggression toward the babes, thankfully.

I always have the most problems with bickering when giving treats. For awhile I quit giving treats at all because of this. I saw my game hen bow and spread her wings to one of my SG's, and let her peck her on the head, never saw that before. My game hen taught them all how to fight, not like cocks mind you, and I assume she lost to this SG, who is now new flock leader. The game used to be in the top of the pecking order, but I lost my old flock leader and her group was knocked down a peg. My game now roosts in my shop, because she catches such hell from the others. I also have a broody whom I'm afraid will receive the same, and is still penned. Losing my old flock leader really disrupted the flock and caused a lot of infighting. They all used to roost on the top roost, and now they are scattered between top, bottom, and a roost in the run. I was sad to see this happen, but it is their way I guess.