I need some advice:
I have twenty-five hens; five australorps, five dominiques, five buff orpingtons, five NH reds, and five white rocks. They'll be six months old on 4/16. I've been raising them since they were a day old. They've been laying for about two weeks now. They have a very large, fenced/netted pen and a coup. We've never had a problem with their behavior - until now. One of the white rocks is MEAN! She's been pinning the other hens down and pulling the feathers from their necks. Sometimes, several of the other hens will run her off, but mostly, they just stay out of her way. She's walking around with dried blood around her wattle right now; I'm not sure if it's her blood, or another hen's, but none of the others look to be bleeding. I seriously don't think she's a rooster; she looks no different than the other white rocks (comb and wattles are the same size and feathers are the same length and shape). No crowing either. I'm assuming if she was a rooster, she'd be crowing by now. Since they're the same age and size, do you think I should just let them work it out among themselves or should I be stepping in somehow? They have leg bands so I've been watching to make sure it's just the one white rock - and it is. I know hens can be aggressive when they've just started laying, so this may be the case, and she'll get over herself eventually. I've not noticed any particular one being the "alpha", so she may have just appointed herself with that role. What should I do? If she keeps it up, I'm thinking of making a big pot of dumplings...
Any ideas or suggestions?
Donna @ Redleif Ranch
I have twenty-five hens; five australorps, five dominiques, five buff orpingtons, five NH reds, and five white rocks. They'll be six months old on 4/16. I've been raising them since they were a day old. They've been laying for about two weeks now. They have a very large, fenced/netted pen and a coup. We've never had a problem with their behavior - until now. One of the white rocks is MEAN! She's been pinning the other hens down and pulling the feathers from their necks. Sometimes, several of the other hens will run her off, but mostly, they just stay out of her way. She's walking around with dried blood around her wattle right now; I'm not sure if it's her blood, or another hen's, but none of the others look to be bleeding. I seriously don't think she's a rooster; she looks no different than the other white rocks (comb and wattles are the same size and feathers are the same length and shape). No crowing either. I'm assuming if she was a rooster, she'd be crowing by now. Since they're the same age and size, do you think I should just let them work it out among themselves or should I be stepping in somehow? They have leg bands so I've been watching to make sure it's just the one white rock - and it is. I know hens can be aggressive when they've just started laying, so this may be the case, and she'll get over herself eventually. I've not noticed any particular one being the "alpha", so she may have just appointed herself with that role. What should I do? If she keeps it up, I'm thinking of making a big pot of dumplings...

Any ideas or suggestions?
Donna @ Redleif Ranch