My mean little heffer(s)

[member 158781]

Ok. So I have 2 mean little heffers. One in my flock of Sapphire Gem pullets. She will get a hold of my skin and twist it. I think she does it to get treats. But guess what? No treats when she acts that way. Normally she’s just as nice as the other ones. It’s only when there are treats on the menu.

Now my other little mean heffer is actually not so very little. She’s an older, large Welsummer cross, with large spurs and mean as a rattle snake. I always have to be careful that she doesn’t attack. Yesterday, I thought she was pretty good; not her usual mean self. I said hello to her and wow!!! Full blown attack. Up in the air, spurs hacking at me. I screamed, hit her with my sleeve since I had my vest in my arms and I couldn’t believe what happened then.
My rooster Shanti went berserk. He “beat” the living daylights out of her. Pecking, spurs, on top of her. Wow. He punished her for about 2 full minutes. Raced after her and kept going at her. He didn’t stop until she made herself very small and almost flat on the ground. At that moment I felt so much love for that big rooster. I felt he protected me. What a wonderful boy. I have a feeling she won’t attack me anymore. She avoids me today. I’m flabbergasted.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Wow! What a story! It will be very interesting to see how she acts towards you from now on. Keep us posted! I hope she learned her lesson....

 

[azygous]

Chickens really know how to effectively discipline each other. We can learn a lot from their techniques. If, instead of a beak, you use a couple fingers to "peck" the bad chicken on the back, they will understand what it means. You may need to repeat it, but they will get the message.

Roosters really are awesome at discipline. Of course you aren't going to flog a misbehaving hen, but you can pin her to the ground until she submits or run her out of the social center of the flock to show she is behaving badly.

 

[member 158781]

Wow! What a story! It will be very interesting to see how she acts towards you from now on. Keep us posted! I hope she learned her lesson....

oh, I so hope it helped. That would be wonderful. I’m always hyper vigilant with this chicken. She’s older, doesn’t lay eggs anymore and is mean on top of it all. Some tell me to give her a gravy bath. But per definition: I do not kill chickens. No matter what, they have served mewell once they stop laying. So they earned their retirement. I just hope she’ll be a better girl now. I just wonder if other people have had the experience of being “rescued” by the rooster. I’d love to know about it. There’s so much more to animals than what we think to know.

 

[member 158781]

[QUOTE="azygous, post: 21904427, member: 45606]........... If, instead of a beak, you use a couple fingers to "peck" the bad chicken on the back, they will understand what it means. You may need to repeat it, but they will get the message.............you can pin her to the ground until she submits or run her out of the social center of the flock to show she is behaving badly.[/QUOTE]

Heck, I try not to come near her. I have tried in the past to “hand feed” her, but even then she attacks. I don’t want to think what she’ll do if I try to grab her or pin her down. She has avoided me today so I hope this settles it.

 

[tacothechicken]

Yep a good rooster is the best thing you can have whith mean flock girls! Our current boy Blizzard has effectively wooped my hens into shape after taking over the last year and a half. Before i was worried to keep them closed up as my older girls would beat the weaker to death when ornery, but Blizzard takes no prisoners! He'll go from babysitting a broodies 4 day old chicks to spurring that hens behind for getting to mean whith unassuming flock mates, chicks about or no. He teaches great manners to all his sons too so i don't have any worries about getting spurred or bitten even whith 5+ boys about. Unfortunately he's the warn and run type so i can't count on him to dissuade a predator but he's very adaptable and super smart, so i figure I'll find a good attack roo to pair him up whith and I'll have the perfect team for if the dogs arent about when a predator shows up I've made good money off his sons as they all have lovely temperments and great flock skills! I have so many less issues whith a good roo about, and hes great ornamentally too everyone's like "wow that birds gorgeous!" And im like
"Yeah thats why i kept him" that and for his cheek muffs lol

 

[member 158781]

Yep a good rooster is the best thing you can have whith mean flock girls! Our current boy Blizzard has effectively wooped my hens into shape after taking over the last year and a half. Before i was worried to keep them closed up as my older girls would beat the weaker to death when ornery, but Blizzard takes no prisoners! He'll go from babysitting a broodies 4 day old chicks to spurring that hens behind for getting to mean whith unassuming flock mates, chicks about or no. He teaches great manners to all his sons too so i don't have any worries about getting spurred or bitten even whith 5+ boys about. Unfortunately he's the warn and run type so i can't count on him to dissuade a predator but he's very adaptable and super smart, so i figure I'll find a good attack roo to pair him up whith and I'll have the perfect team for if the dogs arent about when a predator shows up I've made good money off his sons as they all have lovely temperments and great flock skills! I have so many less issues whith a good roo about, and hes great ornamentally too everyone's like "wow that birds gorgeous!" And im like
"Yeah thats why i kept him" that and for his cheek muffs lol

Do you have a picture of him? He sounds wonderful.

 

[member 158781]

This is my rooster. (with the mean Welsummer cross)

 

[tacothechicken]

Handsome boy!!! Here's Blizzard he grew a few of his tail feathers out really long and pretty, but molted all but one after summer and I couldnt find them here's to hoping they come back just as gorgeous next year

 

[Aunt Angus]

Beautiful boys! Roosters are truly gorgeous creatures!