Mean and broody !!!

[City Farmer Jim]

I'm a newbie and am sure this has been answered many times. This started a couple weeks ago and I didn't recognize it right away. We are from deep south Texas and just went through a very hard freeze but not sure if it has anything to do with this issue. We have a buff orpington that has been broody 3 or 4 in the past. We have successfully broke her or so we thought. She isn't full blown broody YET but has developed an extreme mean attitude toward the 8 of our 8 bird flock. She pecks her very brutally and grabs her earlobes and pulls her to the ground where she pecks the back of her head and mounts her to do that, she actively hunts her down and when she manages to catch her she will stand her ground as best she can chest to chest and gives as good as she can. How can I stop this behavior or do we let it run its course? She's to old for Sunday dinner lol

 

[sourland]

Separate her from the flock for a matter of days. Upon reintroduction the others may put her in her place.

 

[aart]

She isn't full blown broody YET but has developed an extreme mean attitude toward the 8 of our 8 bird flock. She pecks her very brutally and grabs her earlobes and pulls her to the ground where she pecks the back of her head and mounts her to do that, she actively hunts her down and when she manages to catch her she will stand her ground as best she can chest to chest and gives as good as she can.

She's only targeting one of the 8?

She's to old for Sunday dinner

No, she's not tho it would be soup or stew rather than roasted.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Yes she is just picking on the last one in the pecking order...

 

[City Farmer Jim]

CHICKEN JAIL is at the ready...

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Have you checked the low status hen for parasites or illness?

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Being a newbie, how would that make another hen pick on her...I have not checked her for health issues but will tomorrow.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Chickens try to drive off a flock member that is sick or infested. I’ve seen it in my flock when a hen gets lice. (The sparrows like to share )

 

[janiedoe]

Some of my girls are being persnickety. I think the unusual ( for Texas) weather gave them cabin fever. They are getting better day by day since we're back in the 70s.
I would put her in mean girl time-out. I hope your 8th girl is ok with no health issues.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

I guess I should have given all the information up front but it would have been like reading the encyclopedia for fun...the first flock of 5(-1) turned 1..9/14/20 the second flock will be 1(3 of the 5) the 14TH of March. The second flock lost a girl 3 weeks ago and was a breed mate to the one now being picked on. I lovingly call 1 from each flock "the enforcer" she makes sure the head hen has enough to eat and is given the respect she deserves....that being said the enforcer of the second flock has taken the MAKING sure that the last girl(the one being picked on)in the pecking order knows her place more than normal. Can this be a reaction from her loosing her breed mate