Mean chicken!?!

[Marybear]

I've been reading up a bit about chicken bullies, but I am still not sure what to think/do about what is going on with mine. I am a new chicken keeper with 5 six month old hens, bought when they were a few days old. I have 2 Chocolate Orpingtons, 2 Barnevelders, and 1 Salmon Faverolles. The Orps and Faverolles are laying. The Faverolles is the mean one. When she got big enough she would freak out if I tried to pick her up, but no biggie, the others are friendly and cuddly. Then she started biting me when I tried to interact with other chickens. Still, no biggie, once I knew she would bite me I just didn't give her the chance. Well, now she has started pulling out the feathers on the backs of the other girls. Obviously not a good time for that as temps are dipping down! One is more torn up, but all have missing/tore up feathers, except the Faverolles. Do I just have an aggressive bird that is just too mean for the other chickens? I chose the breeds I did because they are supposed to be docile and sweet. I am entertaining the idea that everyone might be happier if she were to join a more assertive group, but I like her and I'd be sad to see her go. Is there anything I can do to get her to be nicer? Could it be adolescent behavior that she could outgrow? I don't care if she's mean to me, but I don't want her to keep torturing the other girls. TIA

 

[rosemarythyme]

That is strange, I'd figure she'd be the one bullied. Are you certain it's a Faverolles and not a different breed by some accident? I was even about to ask if you were sure it's a girl but if she's laying, then that answers that.

What does your set up look like? How big is the coop, the run? Do you free range?

 

[Marybear]

Hi! Thanks for your reply! I am pretty sure she's a Faverolles. I attached a photo. She has an extra toe and feathered feet also. I also attached a pic of what she's done to my Barnevelder. This just started in the last 2 days. I saw her doing it- she is just walking up to any other chicken and pecking it's back. She was just bopping around like a pinball pecking away! I have a Producers Pride Chateau. The run is 9.5 sq ft per chicken. They get a variety of snacks and enrichment, including supervised back yard foraging trips.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hi! Thanks for your reply! I am pretty sure she's a Faverolles. I attached a photo. She has an extra toe and feathered feet also. I have a Producers Pride Chateau. The run is 9.5 sq ft per chicken. They get a variety of snacks and enrichment, including supervised back yard foraging trips.

Yup definitely appears to be a SF.

How often and for how long do they get the foraging trips? 9.5 sq ft per might be enough for some birds, but not enough for others, and it also restricts how much space you have to add clutter (as opposed to snacks as entertainment, which can dilute down protein intake). https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[BigBlueHen53]

What are you feeding and what is the protein percentage on the side or back of the bag?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

And how big is the coop, or did you already tell us?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sorry, please forgive my typos, I have arthritis and tremors in my hands and I forgot to proofread before hitting Post.