Mean Plymouth Rocks? What do I do??

[springchick20]

So in my flock I have Four golden comets, Two white meat birds (no idea what breed), Three silkies (plus two new silkie roosters i added on saturday), one Japanese Bantam rooster, and then my four Plymouth Rocks...

All of that flock is original except for four of the silkies. Two I added into the flock about a month ago, and are doing fine now, and then two i have added in on saturday- the roosters who are months older than my flock but all the same size).

The problem that I always had was my plymouth rocks were always on the top of the pecking order anyways, and would be very bossy and mean to everyone else but fine and calm with me. Almost positive they are all hens- and the one that is on top Stripes is really mean to everyone else..

I dont know what to do about these girls. I am on the fence about getting rid of them because I am so sick of them pecking and being just mean to the other girls. I think i was at my breaking point today when three of them cornered one of my new silkie roosters in the corner of the coop and all took turns pecking and clawing and jumping on him. I had to go into the coop and pick him up and cuddle him. He was so terrified. And I wont mess with the chickens usually either when they are getting used to new birds in the flock. I understand they need to establish the pecking order and me interfering will just prolong it for the newcomers... but this was just too awful to watch...

Its hard being a chicken momma and knowing that these girls love me so much, and let me cuddle and hold them, but it makes me resent them because they are cruel to the rest of the flock. I am considering giving them away to someone I know that has a whole flock of Plymouths- because maybe they need to just stay with their own kind.

It is breaking my heart right now- and just looking for some advice. Should I wait it out a bit longer and see if they calm down some more towards my new silkies- or just send them off to a new happy home...

 

[calebc311]

Introducing new chickens to an already established flock will definitely by hard, as your experience suggests. Even more, silkies are probably one of the most vulnerable and weak chickens. As new silkies were integrated with plymouth rocks, I'm not very surprised at the their behavior. I would separate them for now and only allow them to interact when you're directly supervising them. Plymouth rocks are one of my favorite breeds but they have a tough 'chicken general' personality. So my advice would be to cautiously wait it out a little bit longer, as sooner or later, they should calm down. But even if they calm down, the silkies' troubles will be far from gone. Hope all goes well!

 

[springchick20]

WELL! To my surprise this morning, I woke up to one of those plymouth rocks crowing... that kind of explains alot at how they have been especially aggressive to the new roosters... Today I put my silkie boys in the baby turkey pen that is right next to their run. So they will be able to be seen but not touched today. Hopefully this will help them relax some more.

 

[Mrs. K]

It might be that the plymouth rocks are not a good fit for you or your flock. As stated adding new chicken is always a little tough, but you are inadvertently magnifying that by the breeds you are mixing, a very aggressive breed with a very passive breed.

A peaceful flock that is in step with each other is a pleasure, one that there is nearly constant strife is stressful. You asked for advice, pick the temperament that you like best, and sell or cull the other breed. I love a mixed flock, but they need to be the same size, and close to the same temperament in order to truly blend into a flock.

Those chickens you sell, will be fine with someone else, you are more attached to them, than they are to you. Don't feel guilty, keeping birds in a constant fight is worse.

Mrs K

 

[springchick20]

Thank you, I decided to give them away to a close family friend. She does not have chickens this year but has had them in the past so she has a coop and everything. I just think its the wrong breed to be mixed in with the rest. My red comets and my other silkies get along just fine- its just the Plymouths that are being a bit too aggressive for my liking. Thank you so much for the advice. And you're right, I probably am way more attached to them than they are to me. Especially since one of them started pecking me like crazy this morning during the morning hug session lol...