Mean, mean, mean hen

[Cindilou]

So, last week or so, the neighbors called and said they didn't want their 3 chickens anymore, they are low on money etc etc. Ok, We'll take them. (Thinking I will be adding to egg production since I have some molting/slowed down girls) Their coop is only about 30 feet or less from ours so I didn't quarantine and they got put in with the big girls. But, since they never had a lay box before they lay in the run, then they eat their eggs. Then, the one I call Red, is a mean hen. I went to fix the feeder this morning and she attacked my hands. I have little chicken pecks all over my hands with blood. I picked her up a couple times to try to get her to chill out. (Trying to be a chicken whisperer. Ridiculous, I know.) She just kept attacking me and even went all out with the spurring move. I'm ready to get the cone out and make soup I just feel terrible because we were all, "oh, we'll take good care of them!" Not realizing there were egg eaters and this one is, literally, biting the hand that feeds her. I have a feeling that they weren't getting the eggs anymore because they slacked in chicken duties and just didn't want to cone them themselves. I feel like a big doofus for taking in these birds. We have a nice sized backyard flock and just want to sell enough eggs to friends and family to pay for feed but letting egg eaters stay around is not on the to-do list. Should I call the neighbors and give them an option or just do what I need to do since they probably knew this was going to happen anyway? Plus, I don't want them showing the others how tasty eggs are all the time.

 

[so lucky]

I think I would just let them know that you may have to cull the mean egg-eater, in case they would ask sometime in the future. Then do it the next day.

 

[CMV]

I would offer to give the birds back to them with a full explanation of why. If they do not care to have the birds returned then I would clearly state your intentions regarding the birds' futures. If they still don't want the birds then you can do what you want with them.

I personally would cull the lot. Egg eating and aggression are 2 of the 3 habits I won't tolerate. They cost so much in terms of time, resources and money to try to repair, but frequently cannot be fixed.

Sorry for your situation. No good deed goes unpunished... Good luck.

 

[carolinagirl58]

I'd put that hen in a stew pot TODAY!! No way would I tolerate a nasty animal like that. Tell the neighbor, give her a chance to have her hens back, but if she won't take them, then in the freezer they go.

 

[Cindilou]

So, I think I need to go to another section and look up what knife to use. This happens so rarely here that usually the boyfriend handles it but I went back over to check on the feeder again and got another attack peck. Her aggressiveness is just too much.

 

[bustermommy]

Yeah and then you can peck her back when you have the chicken stew.

 

[mcjessen]

Quote:
X2

 

[Pele]

I agree with CMV.

It's the right thing to do (that way they can't complain later), and it solves your problem. Egg eating is super hard to correct, and spreads like wildfire. To cap it off with a nasty attitude is the fastest way I can think of for a hen to end up in the stewpot.

 

[Cindilou]

Quote:
Your probably right. I will get a hold of them tonight before doing anything irreversible.

 

[BooBear]

In the mean time you should seperate them out to prevent others from learning to eat eggs.