Please Advise: Fighting Hens

[dustbath]

These are some really useful suggestions. Thanks! I'll try them all!

 

[estpr13]

I have done as Hangin Wit has done with my young ones. I have observed mother hens pecking chicks heads to keep them in line so I would flick one on the beak to do the same. sometimes put their head against my nose between my eyes, and they would strangely get quiet. But full grown hens... if in your arms you might be able to handle one that way. but if in the yard, you might want to use a broom or broom rake.
I had some 4 Delaware roos all the same hatch who at about 6 months started fighting in earnest. Missing tail feathers and bloody combs and wattles. I had read that you need to have at least three roos so that when two would go at each other the third one would jump in and break up the fight. This happens most of the time. The wattles and combs get big black areas on them from dried blood and bruses. they look bad but can go away. Dried blood all over a white chicken looks really bad but they never seemed worse for the wear.