Mean, mean "Attilla the Hen"

[FiddleChics]

I have two, 1 year old hens. After a slow, 3 week introduction of "Look don't touch" initiation - I have raised from day old chicks & added 10, nine week old pullets into the flock. Everyone's together (with safety zones for escape, for the chicks) and the Alpha hen is acting as I'd expected. Though she is stern in establishing & maintaining her position as head Alpha in the flock - she's not cruel or vicious to the chicks. She makes her stand, takes her prized food or treats first, and they totally respect her. Problem solved.

The 2nd hen however -(Lets just call her... "Attilla the Hen") is terrible. She is chasing the pullets unmercifully. Even when there's no food, or treats involved, she hounds them down, chases them and tears out their feathers. She is scaring the wits out of them... & it's awful. My enclosed run is 30' x 28'... with an additional run of 14' x 6' which is attached to the coop... so they have ample space.

The pullets are terrified of Attilla the Hen - and give her as much distance they can.
I set up an XL "time out" dog crate - inside the big run, and today I put Attilla the Hen - inside it, just to give the chicks a little peace. They all relaxed & fanned out (instead of staying in a tight band of chicks) & all was good. So after about 15 minutes, I released Attilla the Hen back into the run. Attilla the Hen was fine for about 5 minutes... but then went right back into terrorizing the chicks - and for no reason. She actually growls - & it sounds menacing. She also puffs up, and pecks them hard, tearing out their feathers.

They are all in the coop at night together now for the past 5 days, but the chicks are afraid to go on the roosts (which is MORE than large enough to easily handle 30+ chicks, but I only have 12 chickens.
Instead of going on the roost at night, the chicks all huddle on the floor, in the corner. Last night - I put Atilla the Hen OUT of the coop, to see what would happen, and all the chicks went up on the roost with the Alpha - and all was peaceful.

My question is... do you think Attilla the Hen should have a longer time out? Or - What should I do?!?!?! Will time out for longer... make it worse? There's no blood drawn, (yet) but it's just the viscous, nasty behavior that bothers me... It's beyond the 'normal' chicken pecking order establishment. What should I do?

 

[DobieLover]

I have two, 1 year old hens. After a slow, 3 week introduction of "Look don't touch" initiation - I have raised from day old chicks & added 10, nine week old pullets into the flock. Everyone's together (with safety zones for escape, for the chicks) and the Alpha hen is acting as I'd expected. Though she is stern in establishing & maintaining her position as head Alpha in the flock - she's not cruel or vicious to the chicks. She makes her stand, takes her prized food or treats first, and they totally respect her. Problem solved.

The 2nd hen however -(Lets just call her... "Attilla the Hen") is terrible. She is chasing the pullets unmercifully. Even when there's no food, or treats involved, she hounds them down, chases them and tears out their feathers. She is scaring the wits out of them... & it's awful. My enclosed run is 30' x 28'... with an additional run of 14' x 6' which is attached to the coop... so they have ample space.

The pullets are terrified of Attilla the Hen - and give her as much distance they can.
I set up an XL "time out" dog crate - inside the big run, and today I put Attilla the Hen - inside it, just to give the chicks a little peace. They all relaxed & fanned out (instead of staying in a tight band of chicks) & all was good. So after about 15 minutes, I released Attilla the Hen back into the run. Attilla the Hen was fine for about 5 minutes... but then went right back into terrorizing the chicks - and for no reason. She actually growls - & it sounds menacing. She also puffs up, and pecks them hard, tearing out their feathers.

They are all in the coop at night together now for the past 5 days, but the chicks are afraid to go on the roosts (which is MORE than large enough to easily handle 30+ chicks, but I only have 12 chickens.
Instead of going on the roost at night, the chicks all huddle on the floor, in the corner. Last night - I put Atilla the Hen OUT of the coop, to see what would happen, and all the chicks went up on the roost with the Alpha - and all was peaceful.

My question is... do you think Attilla the Hen should have a longer time out? Or - What should I do?!?!?! Will time out for longer... make it worse? There's no blood drawn, (yet) but it's just the viscous, nasty behavior that bothers me... It's beyond the 'normal' chicken pecking order establishment. What should I do?

Pinless Peepers.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I think Attila needs a longer time out. I would leave her in the dog crate for at least 3 days, let her out and if she returns to the bad behavior, put her back right away for another 3 days. She will eventually get the point. Act like a meany, go to the dog crate. Good luck with how ever you think is the best way to handle the situation.

 

[moniquem]

Re-home, one chicken is not worth an entire flock of nervous wrecks. Do it before she really starts hurting them.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

This was a pretty different scenario, but we recently made a bachelor pad and put four adult roosters together. Ok, so very different situation and much more crazy! However, the similarity was that the dominant rooster (Vespucci) wouldn’t just let things go with the other three. He established his dominance quickly, then kept going after them, with one in particular bearing the brunt. I built a small (3 x 3) covered “rooster jail” in the run with food and water. At night, I place Vespucci in a cat carrier with shavings, then placed that in the coop with the other boys so they’d all be “roosting together”. Did this for one week, let him out, and he was better, not intent on killing any of his fellow bachelors. The next day he went after them again, and so Vespucci went back to jail again for a week. Somewhere at about two weeks he spent some time in jail and some loose with the others, when I could supervise. At three weeks, he started a real bromance with one of the other guys and the two are best buds. He’s still not a big fan of the other two roosters but they all get along reasonably well. Best of luck with your “mean girl”. I have mean girls too and hen integration issues, but that’s another story!

 

[Willowspirit]

I have no specific advice for you, just another vote for separation temporarily or permanently. It is smart to recognize how it affects all of the chicks. With them huddled in a corner they are probably very stressed and not getting adequate nutrition. They also lacking the opportunity to scratch or dust bathe or rest after eating.

Besides the time i spend sitting on my couch reading or thinking about animal behavior i do have the experience of integrating a two year old hen with five 12 week old pullets. Big Mama did a fair amount of pecking the pullets when they were first let together. When out their run she would sneak up on the bigger birds and then bite at them. They'd jump and squawk. But she did not pull feathers or injure them. I hated every second of watching this. After a few days she stopped stalking and just nipped pullets who got in the way...which for Big Mama was anywhere she wanted to be.

Then we snuck her into the coop at night and put her on a roost. I got up early, let them out and put food everywhere so nobody could guard all of the food. We also have multiple waterers and when i can't let them out i throw in stacks of hay for them to scratch in. The next night she went into the coop with the others, claimed the highest bar and peace. They've been integrated fully for a week and they're doing okay.

I want to mention that this only went smoothly thanks to what I've learned here. I've only had chickens since early March.

When Big Mama was after the pullets I believed that she was really trying to claim all of the resources. As a result as i mentioned we added feeders and waterers. I also sprinkle a bunch of food in small piles everywhere in the runs. I do the same with treats. They seem to get benefit from finding their own food. Gale Damerow suggests some picking and fighting occurs from boredom.

So that's my experience and my ideas about it. For some reason i think it would be great to save Attila. Maybe she's not a bad hen. Maybe she's just drawn that way. But don't put her above your chooks.

 

[Mvan42]

She definitely needs to learn she can’t bully the little ones. Separate her and try the above suggestion of a few days to maybe even a week at a time. If she begins to bully as soon as she is out to as soon as she starts bullying again put her back in “jail”. If she doesn’t eventually get it you may have to rehome or keep her separated all together(which no one wants to have to do). I would do the “jail” thing for a month or two then make a farther decision if she doesn’t learn her lesson. I say she will learn.

 

[aart]

My question is... do you think Attilla the Hen should have a longer time out? Or - What should I do?!?!?! Will time out for longer... make it worse? There's no blood drawn, (yet) but it's just the viscous, nasty behavior that bothers me... It's beyond the 'normal' chicken pecking order establishment. What should I do?

You may be able to get them together eventually with some 'juggling'... time outs(yes, longer)either in the crate or other run, multiple feed and water stations, treats spread far and wide, 'out of sight' hiding spots......or you may have to get rid of the bully.

How big is your coop, in feet by feet?
Is there a separate roost for the littles?
Pics might help here.

 

[FiddleChics]

You may be able to get them together eventually with some 'juggling'... time outs(yes, longer)either in the crate or other run, multiple feed and water stations, treats spread far and wide, 'out of sight' hiding spots......or you may have to get rid of the bully.

How big is your coop, in feet by feet?
Is there a separate roost for the littles?
Pics might help here.

Thank you everyone for your input.
I've got a good idea now of Plan A, and Plan B.

My coop is 6'x14' with 2 long roots that can easily fit about 30 chickens - and I've only got 2 hens & 10 pullets. The attached, enclosed run is 30' x 28'. I've got 3 watering/ feed stations set up - so no one has to go without... and areas where the chicks can get away & escape to safety that the hens can't fit into.
I'm going to put Attilla the Hen - in 'time out' for a week out in the run first, and hope the longer time will do the trick. I'll crate her inside the coop at night too... so everyone else can get on the roosting bars. If that doesn't work I'll try the "Pinless peepers"... as suggested above... I don't have a plan C yet... and Just praying A or B works!

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you everyone for your input.
I've got a good idea now of Plan A, and Plan B.

My coop is 6'x14' with 2 long roots that can easily fit about 30 chickens - and I've only got 2 hens & 10 pullets. The attached, enclosed run is 30' x 28'. I've got 3 watering/ feed stations set up - so no one has to go without... and areas where the chicks can get away & escape to safety that the hens can't fit into.
I'm going to put Attilla the Hen - in 'time out' for a week out in the run first, and hope the longer time will do the trick. I'll crate her inside the coop at night too... so everyone else can get on the roosting bars. If that doesn't work I'll try the "Pinless peepers"... as suggested above... I don't have a plan C yet... and Just praying A or B works!

Cool beans! Please report back on how things work out after Plan A and if you had to resort to Plan B. I'm afraid Plan C will be rehoming her.
If my lowest ranking hen continues the way she has with the 15 six-week old chicks that haven't been allowed into the coop full time yet due to lack of an attached run, I'm going straight to the pinless peepers for a week or two.