My beta is a bully

[Bitter Bear]

My second in command has violent tendencies.

When I started my flock I had 4 cute little pullets, one was abducted by aliens, one fell prey to a possum and that left my last two... Mary and Rhoda.

Mary and Rhoda get a long great, they appear to share everything equally and are stuck to each other like glue. I decided recently to grow my flock by three more hens... that's where the trouble started. I got three new babies, 2 4-week olds and a 7-week old. I kept them separate from Mary and Rhoda for about 3 weeks, then put them in a cage in the yard where they could have visual and verbal contact with Mary & Rhoda for about 2 weeks.

Mary is the beta and up until the new arrivals she was a sweetheart. I say Mary is my beta because Rhoda mounts her like a rooster and subtle ques show me that she runs the show.

My chickens are free-ranged in my backyard. I tried introducing them by opening the cage and letting the new gals roam at their own pace. That didn't go well - Mary would force herself into their cage and peck them mercilessly... I scrapped that plan of attack and went with the Sleepy Sneaker approach.

On a quiet night I snuck the three babes into the coop with Mary and Rhoda... all was well until the morning, when I could hear one of the young'ins screaming as Mary had her cornered and was pecking her like a mad-woman.

I knew at that moment I would have to remove Mary from the flock (based on advice I had received)... I put Mary in the babes' old cage for a week. Upon rerelease, she would chase them around the yard attack them. She was free for a day... then back to solitary.

I have been doing this off and on for about 2 months, it's slowly getting better... she is not seeking them out to deliver killing blows... now it's just when they are near her or trying to get into the coop for the night.... She is currently back in solitary.

Is there a way to fix this bloodlust? Mary and Rhoda are currently my only two layers... Rhoda btw hangs tight with the little ones now, but still lays next to the cage with Rhoda during the day... they miss each other... and I am kind of fond of her (even though she's not the woman I thought she was) and would hate to rehome her, but the special care is getting tiring.

Any new advice is much appreciated.

 

[Pyxis]

Chickens lowest in the pecking order tend to do this when new birds are introduced - they are very eager to assert themselves so that they are no longer at the bottom of the flock.

You might try setting up areas that the chicks can get into to get away from her but that she cannot follow them into, such as creating a small pen with an opening just big enough for them to fit through but that she couldn't fit through to follow them, as an example.

It sounds like things are improving with time as she feels she has cemented herself above them in the pecking order. However, you could also try some pinless peepers on her for awhile if you feel that's necessary.

 

[Chickassan]

You're doing everything right but she's acting as expected as well. When your babies no longer run from her she will not chase them. Mine are around 15 weeks and, are just now starting to not run from the bigger hens. This is a big issue with mixing mature hens with littles especially with just a couple. When they realize they are big enough and not afraid of her anymore then you're good but it's going to be awhile.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC...sorry you're having troubles.

2 months is a long time with that nonsense.
Are you caging Mary the minute she goes after them....or only when bloody beatings happen? Sometimes you've just got to let them work it out. Caging a bully can help but it also can just restart the pecking order battles each time the bully is released.

Was Mary in the cage in the yard 24/7 for that week?
So they free range every day, all day?
How big is your coop, in feet by feet?
Do you have a run?
Did you try distractions like spreading scratch grain about?

Going to past my notes here, maybe something there will help.
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

You might try setting up areas that the chicks can get into to get away from her but that she cannot follow them into, such as creating a small pen with an opening just big enough for them to fit through but that she couldn't fit through to follow them, as an example.

They chicks may be too big for this by now, but it's a great technique.

 

[azygous]

I have a bully hen that terrorizes everyone. I found something that works splendidly. A fly swatter.

For difficult behavior problems, aversion therapy sometimes works when all else fails. Just this morning I used the fly swatter on this hen, and it took care of the situation immediately. A very timid hen was holing up in a nest because she wasn't ready to face her day yet. The bully was in the coop and had hopped up to this nest and was getting ready to harass the timid hen. I grabbed the fly swatter which I have handy, one in the coop and one out in the run, and swatted her on the butt. She immediately left the timid hen alone.

The other day, the bully was in the coop I have reserved for a broody who is raising two chicks. The broody was becoming very upset, so I grabbed the fly swatter and thrust it through the pop hole. The bully saw the dreaded fly swatter and came flying out. Most of the time just showing her the fly swatter stops her bad behavior.

Try it. It's fun.