Possible Bully Hen?

[zimileih]

I have one australorp that is near the top of the pecking order. She normally does not squabble or fight with the others other than a small chase or peck. However, the one behavior she does do that I would consider bullying is pulling other hens out of the nest box. She is not broody and often she does this even after she has laid for that day. Most of the instances I've seen she reaches in and starts pecking and pulling them until the laying hen finally jumps out of the nest box. The australorp then goes on her way like nothing happened. I haven't seen any injuries until today.

I am not 100% sure this is the case since I did not witness it, but I believe that she pulled my speckled sussex out of the nesting box by her comb. At first I thought the injury was just cut, but now that it is cleaned up there is a crater in the side of the comb where I assumed she yanked her by and eventually pulled the piece of comb out.

What do I do about this behavior? It is not every day, so I wasn't too concerned, but I don't want her injuring my other hens now that I know she is willing to pull on their combs hard enough to cut a piece out of it.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I had a RIR get a finger of her comb bit off by some hen. One of my hens went to another one of my hens and turned the whole flock against her over some newbie Black Australorps.
Hens do this. Maybe separating her for awhile then putting her back will change things?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Maybe try curtains in the nests to partially block her view to make it harder for her to patrol?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Maybe try curtains in the nests to partially block her view to make it harder for her to patrol?

I've never thought of that before, but I agree! It sounds like a great idea!

 

[aart]

Curtains might help.
I'd keep a close eye on this situation, if at all possible observe frequently.
Have had a bully bird doing this, she was NuckinFutz...and delicious.

 

[zimileih]

Maybe try curtains in the nests to partially block her view to make it harder for her to patrol?

That sounds like a good idea! Currently they are using the little giant plastic nesting boxes which I can figure out how to make curtains for, but they are moving into a new coop with more open nest boxes.

For these, could I staple the fabric to the support beams on the sides and in the middle of the nest area? And then would I add slits like curtains for each box or affix it to where there is a gap they duck under?

 

[zimileih]

Curtains might help.
I'd keep a close eye on this situation, if at all possible observe frequently.
Have had a bully bird doing this, she was NuckinFutz...and delicious.

Oh no She's pleasant most of the time except for the nest box thing, but I don't like any of my hens terrorizing the others. Pecking is fine but I don't like them grabbing and yanking each other like they get the point they are trying to run away stop being rude lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

That sounds like a good idea! Currently they are using the little giant plastic nesting boxes which I can figure out how to make curtains for, but they are moving into a new coop with more open nest boxes.

View attachment 2615765

For these, could I staple the fabric to the support beams on the sides and in the middle of the nest area? And then would I add slits like curtains for each box or affix it to where there is a gap they duck under?

I'd probably get some scrap wood and run a horizontal bar attached to the back of those vertical supports in front of the nest, and then staple the curtains to that. You could do it so it ties/pins back at one side, or opens in middle for entry - not sure which would work better.