Mean Hen in Chicken Jail

[MROO]

I'd either re-home her (being low gal on a new totem pole cures an awful lot of behavior issues!) or send her to "camp." There are too many well-mannered creatures in this world who need a chance. It's not worth putting up with a mean one - and that applies to all manner of pets/livestock/boyfriends/girlfriends and spouses ... although, I really don't recommend Freezer Camp for the human versions. Just rehome those particular buggers!
>)=

 

[juliejohnson805]

Should probably plan to separate anyway,
at least a month before collecting hatching eggs,
if you want pure breeds and not crosses.

This was kinda my thinking. Let them be a part of the regular flock and when I want hatching eggs just pull those hens and roo out to seperate area so I know what I'm getting. Area is adjacent to regular run.

Will this stress them out too much?

 

[aart]

Will this stress them out too much?

Not sure, it could.... chickens don't like change.
If I was going to keep more than one breed for hatching pure breeds,
I'd keep the cock/erels and their pullets/hens separate full time right from the get go.

 

[MROO]

That's what we do. We keep the Nankins in one coop/run and the D'uccles in another. Our coop and run are large enough to divide, but there's currently no easy access to the divided run. For now, we have to either carry the youngsters to the new run or wait for them to piddle and peck their way to it on their own. That's fun to watch - and good for them to explore (they're only 10 & 12 weeks old,) -but it takes forever! I'm thinking some sort of chicken tunnel, a chunnel? My poor son - my resident project manager - is going to hate me!

 

[jessg84]

I just added my 7 week old pullets in with my 2 year old hens about 2 weeks ago. My one BR hen chases them around a lot and occasionally will pull a feather. This happens frequently but the chases do not last that long, there is plenty of room for this young ones to get away and they seem to have learned to mostly stay together as a group and stay away from her. I was thinking of putting her in isolation in another part of the yard but wasn’t sure about it. She was never the top hen and until I got the chicks I my BO used to peck at her. My BO shows no interest in the pullets either way but doesn’t seem to be picking on my BR anymore either. Would separating her do anything since she really is not the top hen? Should I wait a little longer and see if they will just work it out as the little ones grow?

 

[aart]

I just added my 7 week old pullets in with my 2 year old hens about 2 weeks ago. My one BR hen chases them around a lot and occasionally will pull a feather. This happens frequently but the chases do not last that long, there is plenty of room for this young ones to get away and they seem to have learned to mostly stay together as a group and stay away from her. I was thinking of putting her in isolation in another part of the yard but wasn’t sure about it. She was never the top hen and until I got the chicks I my BO used to peck at her. My BO shows no interest in the pullets either way but doesn’t seem to be picking on my BR anymore either. Would separating her do anything since she really is not the top hen? Should I wait a little longer and see if they will just work it out as the little ones grow?

I would leave them be to work it out.

As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Is the BR the low bird in the adult flock?
Low birds are often the most aggressive when adding new birds,
they are either defending their position and/or finally have someone to pick on that's of lower status than they are.

 

[jessg84]

I can’t really determine a clear pecking order with my 4 hens but I would say she is in the bottom half if not the lowest. A lot of times I think she is worse to them when I am around. Towards people she is generally the friendliest.

 

[juliejohnson805]

My Bully has been put back but she is up to her old ways. Best I can determine she is somewhere in the middle of the pack. She's just very aggressive. First to come running for treats and doesn't like to share, pecks on random other hens in flock sometimes until Big Mama (Top Hen) intercedes and runs her off.
For now she is safe but if she can't handle being part of the family then I'll have to remedy that for her

 

[aart]

but if she can't handle being part of the family then I'll have to remedy that for her

If she can't get along with her chicken 'family',
invite her to dinner with her human 'family'?

 

[Cryss]

After my bully hen bloodied another for the second time, I put blinders on her. These are called pinless peepers, and create a blind spot so the bullying stops. They snap into the nostrils. My hen doesn't act uncomfortable, she can eat, drink, and roost, but she stopped pecking other chickens. I got them on Ebay.
View attachment 1388508

I did the dame thing, peepers! Ended up rehoming her. Bullying was minimized but still continued.