Mean hen or pecking order?

[Lynnski]

Hi everyone, I have 4 one year old hens who are happy and healthy and laying. The Barred Rock has always been bossy and mean. Lately she has been ultra mean to the easter egger. While the BR lets the other 2 near her, eat with her, dust bathe with her (NH Red and Brahma) she will peck and chase the EE away.

Also while doing the "perch shuffle" at night, the BR will relentlessly peck at the EE and the others will join in. The EE has given up trying to sleep there and now sleeps alone far away while the other 3 are cozy together.

Is this normal?

I am only slightly concerned because there are no injuries or fights, and the EE is very sweet and doesnt seem to care. But if there is something i can do to help the chicken harmony, id like to try. My husband named her as a chick..... and i swear thats why. Cluck Norris. Her and I have gone a few rounds together too, not pretty. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[PD-Riverman]

I personally would remove her and allow the others to bond, then in a couple weeks I would put her back and see how she does. That usually helps with mine, But if she started it again--I would remove her for a month---then when I put her back if she starts again----I would either sell her or Boil the meanness out of her.

 

[Haihai]

I had the same problem once… We named our chicken Pecky Becky because she was pecking at all the other chickens… My neighbor who has been raising chickens for his whole life told me to take her out of the coop for a couple days and isolate on her own so they can reestablish a pecking order... so I put her in check in jail… For three days… And then re-introduced her to the flock… This work as they reestablish the pecking order and one of the nicer chickens was the head hen

 

[Dawnclucks22]

That's funny, my BR bullies my EE on the roost too... I've heard the "chicken jail" method works, but I'm not sure if I want to try that myself yet.

 

[PD-Riverman]

That's funny, my BR bullies my EE on the roost too... I've heard the "chicken jail" method works, but I'm not sure if I want to try that myself yet.

Why?

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Why?

Just the extra effort, that's all.

 

[azygous]

It all sounds like normal flock behavior to me. As long as there are no injuries inflicted, I wouldn't bother intervening.

The EE being left out of things isn't the same as when it happens to people. Even a chicken who is picked on and chooses to remain on the outskirts of activity derives a sense of well being from being near the others. She's more content than it appears.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Just the extra effort, that's all.

Its not bad and doesn't take hardly any time once you get a "chicken jail" set-up. I have 3---side by side, hung on the back of the coop---in the shade all day----top to keep them from being rained on----feeder/waterer-----It took me a little while to hang it(well I built it first)-----been using it probably 15 years----I kinda feel its like a chicken feeder/waterer/etc-----something you really need if you are going to raise chickens.

Example, a couple weeks ago I had a hen to go broody----did not want her broody-----put her in the chicken jail/broody breaker cage for 3 full days with feed and water---I think I had to add feed one time in 3 days---so really picking her up and putting her in the cage----feeding and watering----probably took 2 minutes total for the 3 days. Put her back with the flock and she was back to laying in 4 days

Take a few and set-up you a "chicken jail" it will come in so handy over the next 20 or 30 years.

 

[aart]

I personally would remove her and allow the others to bond, then in a couple weeks I would put her back and see how she does. That usually helps with mine, But if she started it again--I would remove her for a month---then when I put her back if she starts again----I would either sell her or Boil the meanness out of her.

Remove the bully or the bullied? Isn't clear which?

 

[PD-Riverman]

It mi

Remove the bully or the bullied? Isn't clear which?

Come on Aart---LOL The post is about if she is a "mean Hen" etc. Remove her----"the Mean/pecking/bully hen". If the hen being bullied/pecked was removed----putting her back in a few days would just make it worse.


But Just to Clear it up----Remove the "Bully".