One hen attacking another when she lays

[The Hopper Homestead]

Recently, my barred rock hen singles out and attacks a specific Rhode island red when the Red goes in to lay. They do not fight any other time but during that period. When she does attack, it's bad enough that I have to separate them in different pens. Any ideas why this would start out of the blue?

 

[azygous]

Why do some human co-workers have personality conflicts with another worker? Chickens have individual temperaments, too, and they don't always mesh.

Some of these nest skirmishes can be quite violent and even get bloody. I recall one time two hens went at each other in a nest box and the rooster jumped into the mix. I don't recall intervening at the time, but I do remember the impressive blood splatters on the sides of the nest box after the dust settled.

Unless you see serious injuries, and bleeding combs are usually the extent of injury and not serious, I suggest just letting the two work it out. What you can do is take one hen and place her in another nest box farthest from the contested nest. This sometimes works. But you shouldn't need to go to any more complicated measures than that.

If you've observed that one hen is getting the worse of the effects of battle, and these two seem to have frequent conflicts outside the nest as well, you may have a bully/victim issue to resolve. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

 

[Lovem all]

The attacker is claimer her territory. How many egg boxes do you have? I'd suggest moving the bully down until the other gets done or you'll have to work it out.

 

[The Hopper Homestead]

Why do some human co-workers have personality conflicts with another worker? Chickens have individual temperaments, too, and they don't always mesh.

Some of these nest skirmishes can be quite violent and even get bloody. I recall one time two hens went at each other in a nest box and the rooster jumped into the mix. I don't recall intervening at the time, but I do remember the impressive blood splatters on the sides of the nest box after the dust settled.

Unless you see serious injuries, and bleeding combs are usually the extent of injury and not serious, I suggest just letting the two work it out. What you can do is take one hen and place her in another nest box farthest from the contested nest. This sometimes works. But you shouldn't need to go to any more complicated measures than that.

If you've observed that one hen is getting the worse of the effects of battle, and these two seem to have frequent conflicts outside the nest as well, you may have a bully/victim issue to resolve. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/

Thanks for the input. I just find it odd because these two don't fight outside the nest and also don't fight when in the coop together at night. It's only when my red is laying. I'll have to resist the urge to break it up next time unless I see real issue.

 

[The Hopper Homestead]

The attacker is claimer her territory. How many egg boxes do you have? I'd suggest moving the bully down until the other gets done or you'll have to work it out.

I have 5 nest boxes for 10 hens, of which only 6 are of laying age. They only tussle when the red goes in to lay, otherwise they get along fine. The attacker will go in to harrass the red even if the attacker doesn't have to lay yet. The issue just started a few days ago

 

[Lovem all]

Oh that is odd. I have some more dominate girls that get broody offten and attack other ladies when they join them. Especially if it's a chicken at the bottom of the pecking order.

 

[The Hopper Homestead]

Oh that is odd. I have some more dominate girls that get broody offten and attack other ladies when they join them. Especially if it's a chicken at the bottom of the pecking order.

To add to the oddity, the victim used to be the head hen. That changed when another hen became the first to lay, then the victim lost her status. The attacker has never been the head but is definitely more assertive than some of the others

 

[Lovem all]

Hmm i'm not sure what to make of that other than I can tell you pay good attention to your birds