My Lavender Orpington pullet is a beast!

[SurferchickinSB]

How old is she? And yes, I have some really mean hens/pullets

What do you do when your hens/pullets act up? Do you just let them be?

 

[HuskerHens18]

What do you do when your hens/pullets act up? Do you just let them be?

I intervene a lot, if they're adults I will use my foot and give them a good boot. If they're younger I'll just use my hand and give them a decent shove back.

 

[puddin2018]

I have this same issue with my older hen (Elphaba) towards the younger girls. She would be fine and suddenly she just got this look in her eye and decided she was going to jump on and peck all of the other hens! So i kept her separate from the others for a couple weeks. All my ISA browns were utterly terrified of her up until a few days ago when the tables turned! My smallest girl a little Easter egger named Lucy decided enough was enough and challenged Elfie and took over top spot in the pecking order! now everyone is happy and there is a lot less tension in the flock, but Elfie squawks and runs whenever little Lucy is around.

I think you have to just let them play it out. As long as I was interfering and breaking squabbles up I felt like the tension stayed high and issues never got resolved. It wasn't until a few days ago when I decided I was tired of keeping two separate flocks and I would let them figure it out that everything got settled (rather quickly) I think that as long as no blood is being drawn and no ones truly getting hurt that you just have to step back and let them figure it out.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I have this same issue with my older hen (Elphaba) towards the younger girls. She would be fine and suddenly she just got this look in her eye and decided she was going to jump on and peck all of the other hens! So i kept her separate from the others for a couple weeks. All my ISA browns were utterly terrified of her up until a few days ago when the tables turned! My smallest girl a little Easter egger named Lucy decided enough was enough and challenged Elfie and took over top spot in the pecking order! now everyone is happy and there is a lot less tension in the flock, but Elfie squawks and runs whenever little Lucy is around.

I think you have to just let them play it out. As long as I was interfering and breaking squabbles up I felt like the tension stayed high and issues never got resolved. It wasn't until a few days ago when I decided I was tired of keeping two separate flocks and I would let them figure it out that everything got settled (rather quickly) I think that as long as no blood is being drawn and no ones truly getting hurt that you just have to step back and let them figure it out.

I have not intervened between the girls, it just hurts my heart to see the littlest one is so afraid.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I intervene a lot, if they're adults I will use my foot and give them a good boot. If they're younger I'll just use my hand and give them a decent shove back.

I have not intervened between the girls, just feel bad for the little black copper Maran‘s because she seems so afraid all the time and she is not really growing, she actually feels kind of bony at the breastbone. She was blinded accidentally by one of the SGDorkings when she was just a few days old, so she can’t really see the food on one side. I try to sneak her food, but the others have such good hearing and are always watching what I am doing.

 

[Folly's place]

Chickens will not tolerate weakness in a flockmate! you need to get that half blind chick out of there; separate coop with one or two very mild tempered companions, preferably smaller and younger. This chick will have an awful time where she is.
Mary

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I have this same issue with my older hen (Elphaba) towards the younger girls. She would be fine and suddenly she just got this look in her eye and decided she was going to jump on and peck all of the other hens! So i kept her separate from the others for a couple weeks. All my ISA browns were utterly terrified of her up until a few days ago when the tables turned! My smallest girl a little Easter egger named Lucy decided enough was enough and challenged Elfie and took over top spot in the pecking order! now everyone is happy and there is a lot less tension in the flock, but Elfie squawks and runs whenever little Lucy is around.

I think you have to just let them play it out. As long as I was interfering and breaking squabbles up I felt like the tension stayed high and issues never got resolved. It wasn't until a few days ago when I decided I was tired of keeping two separate flocks and I would let them figure it out that everything got settled (rather quickly) I think that as long as no blood is being drawn and no ones truly getting hurt that you just have to step back and let them figure it out.

Thanks, I did not interfere and I think they are figuring it out. My lavender Orpington is still the queen bee, but I read somewhere on this site how to treat the head honcho. I had gotten mad before and poked her with my finger and ignored her, seemed she got meaner to the rest after that and started picking on everybody. I changed my way of dealing with her by giving her the most treats first and it seems she is being much nicer to the rest, but still being sort of a standoffish loner of the flock and everyone is still afraid of her. My half blind BCMarans is growing and not as afraid. I have even seen her stick up for herself a couple of times!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

The queen bee on her very own roost and the seven others crammed on the roost behind her! She does not like to share and always likes everything to herself!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Whenever I pick up one of the chickens to look it over, afterwords my Lavender Orpington, Zsa Zsa always goes and gives them a good peck! Does anyone know why she does that?