Pullet not playing nice

[diana507]

My pullets will be 17 weeks on friday and still not laying. They are isa browns. A few of their combs are plumping nicely and bright red. Anyways, one of them has decided to be a brat lately and picking fights with the others or stalking them to peck them. She is one of the more developed ones and can almost fit 2 fingers between her pelvic bones. She knows she's doing wrong since when I am out there she will do it as far away from me as possible so I can't peck her on the back. I guess my question is, sometimes when they get closer to laying can they do this? She's always been really good till this past week.

 

[Judy]

It soundfs like all thier hormones are on the rise, switching on, so yes, this might very well mess up their behavior for a while.

If one of them really gets bully-ish, draws blood, etc., I would remove her from the flock for a week, ot of sight of the rest. Then when she is returned to the flock, she should be at the low end of the pecking order.

 

[diana507]

She hasn't drawed blood yet. She did jump on the back of the back of another and rip a few small neck feathers out. I checked the one she did it too and she weren't bleeding. I have been trying to discipline her but it's hard when she does it as far away from me as possible. She used to be smaller then alot of them but she had a big growth spurt lately and is one of the 3 biggest ones. If she gets worse I will have to separate her somewhere. Maybe she will hurry up and lay an egg and get better. Haha I was thinking it was hormones, but weren't sure being my first flock. She seems agitated and paces alot. They've also been checking out the nesting boxes and golf balls in them alot the past 2 days. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[pdirt]

I'm not sure about the pelvic width, but this behavior sounds more like a rooster. Do you have a picture to share?

 

[diana507]

She's a red sex link. So I know she's a pullet. I will try and take one of her to share anyways.

 

[diana507]

of course I caught her after dust bathing so her tail feathers are all out of whack. Lol the pic below is a pic of her almost twin. They look the same except her neck is a lil darker and a few more dark spots.

 

[diana507]

Guess her almost twin pic didn't load. I tried to post her too but it won't go for some reason. Haha