One of my hens staged an uprising???

[Dhkoenig]

Hi All. I have had the same four hens since we moved into this house in August. The previous owner said that they got them as chicks in March. So they are around 9 months old. Since the beginning one of my ladies "Fancy Pants" was the head you-know-what in charge. It was never questioned, just an orderly establishment. In October I had to take Fancy Pants out for a while to give her medicine for an infection. When I put her back, Butternut, who used to be my sweet 2nd or 3rd in command..not sure...never noticed what position she held...ATTACKED Fancy Pants. Luckily it was close to bedtime so they went in to their coop for the night and when they came out all was as usual. Fancy Pants back in charge and things back to normal. Fast forward almost 3 months later, all of a sudden Butternut has decided SHE is the boss. Not only has she decided she is queen bee, but she has become such a HUGE bully to Fancy Pants. Poor Fancy Pants can't do anything without Butternut chasing her down and showing her what's what with a peck. Yesterday they drew blood on each other (actually Butternut was the one who was bleeding) but Butternut is still the new queen. How/why did this happen since they are young birds and is it normal? Also besides putting two separate feeding areas etc what should I do about it?

 

[sourland]

More feeders, enough space or hiding places to get away from one another, and allow them to work things out. The pecking order is fluid and ever changing with those lower ranked birds scheming about how to improve their position.

 

[cmom]

Take Butternut out for a few days and then put her back and see. Good luck...

 

[Dhkoenig]

More feeders, enough space or hiding places to get away from one another, and allow them to work things out. The pecking order is fluid and ever changing with those lower ranked birds scheming about how to improve their position.

Sounds like some of the ladies I know around town LOL! Thanks very much for the advice

 

[sourland]

Sounds like some of the ladies I know around town LOL! Thanks very much for the advice

I've often compared the chicken social structure to 'mean girls in high school'.

 

[David61]

My #2 is isolated because of a hard molt. The lowest of the order befriended her before i wired her off under the poop board. I was going to put low order friend in with #2molt but lost track of her.
I don't put up with major arguments out of my girls and they know it.
They call me ruKBuc and squat at my presence.
I am ruKBuc, giver of raisins, provider of grain, coon slayer, keep of the coop door and taker of eggs.
All must bow down to me or get pinned to the ground and pecked until still. all squabbles stop at my command . LOL well, at lest until i'm gone. I play a good rooster.

 

[Diva-M]

My #2 is isolated because of a hard molt. The lowest of the order befriended her before i wired her off under the poop board. I was going to put low order friend in with #2molt but lost track of her.
I don't put up with major arguments out of my girls and they know it.
They call me ruKBuc and squat at my presence.
I am ruKBuc, giver of raisins, provider of grain, coon slayer, keep of the coop door and taker of eggs.
All must bow down to me or get pinned to the round and pecked until still. all squabbles stop at my command . LOL well, at lest until i'm gone. I play a good rooster.

hahahahahaha

 

[Dhkoenig]

I've often compared the chicken social structure to 'mean girls in high school'.

SO TRUE! Thank goodness I have boys!

 

[Dhkoenig]

hahahahahaha

Wait how do you stop them? Mine also look at me as their provider etc. but they will have a big fight right in front of me and if I break them up they will go right back at it - like two men in a bar brawl!

 

[David61]

just like you do a rooster. Pin the aggressor to the ground for a timeout