Really mean chicken

[ShrekDawg]

So I have one chicken who is just so mean!!!

I thought maybe it was my fault since they outgrew their spaces quickly but even the few times I have let them free range she is mean!

She flies out of nowhere and attacks the others, usually over food but often for seemingly no reason.

She is a Black Australorp and seems to mostly pick on my poor Buff Orpingtons. We have 8 chickens.


The weird thing is sometimes she and the others seem to get along but I am sure they are stressed out.

For instance, I was holding an Orpington the other day and she came out of nowhere and pecked her hard on the head! I shooed her off then gave chase. She ran away but later came back and did it again. Gave chase again. The poor Orp then settled into my lap and did not want to leave once she realized I would protect her.

I think it is just one chicken but we have 2 Black Australorps so I can't really tell for sure. I can tell them apart now though so will watch.

They are only 24 or 25 weeks old.

I want to see how she behaves in the new, much bigger coop and run, but if she wont change I don't want to.

She also consistently pecks me (so do the others so not sure if mean or not) and has pecked me on the elbow and drawn a bit of blood, on the gums last week, and in my eye today.

My dad wants to kill her. Literally.

If we do that, should I wait for her to grow out some more or just kill her ASAP?

I am reluctant because she does seem scared of me, maybe because I bully her sometimes, but I have been trying to be nice to her for a while now and she hasn't changed.

But they are supposed to be the best layers but I feel she is causing stress in the flock.

We also have another one so I don't know if I should cull both since sometimes they gang up but I really think it is majority one chicken.

I love them all but should I just cull her?

 

[mortie]

Kdogg, you've been given some really good advice here, so I'm not going to beat a dead horse on that stuff, but I am concerned that your chicken managed to peck you in the gums (how does this happen??) and the eye! Really, chickens are quite unpredictable at time and you really, really should keep them away from your face. I'm sure it wasn't out of aggressiveness toward you but I have seen some really grisly pictures of eye injuries caused by curious chickens and I would hate for that to happen to you. Just maybe keep them away from your face? That would make me feel better lol.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That was really helpful. She is the dominant bird, I think she's just getting up higher to show her dominance to the other hens and to talk with you. I didn't see anything there that was bad as far as behavior.

Now I'm going to say that your set up is way too small, don't take this the wrong way please, no judgement on my part, just observations, but being kept like that often brings out aggressive. I do think you said they were getting larger accommodations, but maybe I'm remembering wrong. Also I can't remember if you free range or not.

When there's not enough territory to support the flock the dominant members will try to drive some of the lower birds out by pecking and chasing. I think maybe that's more what's going on. I'm not even sure how all those hens get in that house, it must be like a clown car. I would increase the coop size if possible and the run should be way bigger to allow them to work off energy during the day.

My submissive hens stay away from the dominant ones. I've noticed it ranges from 5 feet to 10 feet for it to be a safe distance for them, otherwise they get pecked.

Your hens are very pretty and it's a nice flock. My australorps have always talked to me like that, it's one of the reasons I enjoy them so much. I don't have one at the moment, but have one coming in my order, now I wished I had ordered more. I think you would deeply regret culling her.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine squabble every night on the roost it's normal. I think it's actually a required bedtime ritual.

Your birds are all young yet and can't be considered mature until at least a year old and some take until two years. I know I used the comparison of teenagers and the age your hens are, I think. If I judged people by how they acted as teenagers there would be not many people around. All animals go through a faze where they are independent and trying to act like they are mature, but they don't really know what they are doing. Dogs go through the same thing, if people understood that, the dog pounds wouldn't be full of dogs that are 8 months to a year and a half old.

My birds aren't exactly pets, but they aren't for food either. I keep them because I enjoy watching them and taking care of them. So I cull for diseases and I would cull for bad behaviors, but I always wait until they are fully mature until I see if it's a faze or behavior. I have chickens of every age and can observe what is normal and natural.

Except for a few roosters, I haven't had any hens that had bad adult behaviors. I keep mine in such a way that crowding or lack of space is never an issue. So from my observations most bad behaviors are from improper housing and not understanding the mental needs of the birds, or what is normal behavior.

Chickens peck each other, it's normal, the one being pecked screams loudly, that normal. So unless there's blood or cornering I let mine work things out. And in the situation of roosters fighting in spring, I don't ever intervene and I let them go about their business.

Removing the old coop or at least moving it will eliminate them trying to return to it as home.

I think as time goes by you will appreciate having a hen that likes to talk to you, I know they become my favorites, just don't lean in too close to listen.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She is reaching sexual maturity, sometimes they get moody and bossy, same as human teenagers. They often will settle down after they begin laying eggs and hormones even out. Many times it's just all noise and no one is getting hurt. Do you have adult birds or a rooster? Both will often step in and discipline a rowdy teenager. I would wait it out.

 

[ShrekDawg]

She is reaching sexual maturity, sometimes they get moody and bossy, same as human teenagers. They often will settle down after they begin laying eggs and hormones even out. Many times it's just all noise and no one is getting hurt. Do you have adult birds or a rooster? Both will often step in and discipline a rowdy teenager. I would wait it out.

I neverr thought of it like that before, that's a good point. Thank you!! I'm pretty sure she is laying though and has for maybe a week or 2 but maybe she's just still hormonal and needs to settle down? We don't have any roosters or adults since we have close neighbors in the back and these are our first chickens. I'm glad you said this because someone said to kill her and I was ready to, even if it meant being in tears the whole time. So I will wait until she has been laying a while and has more space and give her another chance. Thank you. Although what's weird is none of the others are mean like that, just her. But I guess like teenagers, some behave, some don't. I will definitely wait it out and give her another chance. What if she still doesn't improve though?

 

[Chkinkeeper7474]

I agree. I would give a second chance and see if she calms down. Especially if these are your first chickens I wouldn't be making any hasty decisions. But if she doesn't change unless you want to deal with a terror I suggest you just cull her. She does not respect you or her flock mates and just wants to hunt every one down. That is not a good behavior to have in a flock. On the other hand update us when you move her! Im sure a bigger space will probably do her lots of good.

 

[pineapple416]

Our Mottled Javas got very bossy and around the time they started laying eggs, so I think you should give her some time to settle down. Also this is something I saw on a blog called Tilly's nest, pinless peepers. They are supposed to fix bad behavior. They narrow the chickens vision, but they can still eat and drink and live their normal lives. There kind of like chicken glasses from what I hear. I know you can order them for a few dollars at Murray McMurray's hatchery website. I have never tried this, so it is just an idea. You could also separate her from the rest of the flock by giving her her own enclosure or run to live in until she calms down, but to where she could still see her flock so she doesn't get lonely.
Here's a picture of the pinless peepers

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thank you! You're definitely right, I wouldn't want to cull her and then regret it. Especially since I wasn't sure if all of her pecks were mean, like the eye thing was maybe cause it's shiny? But she had flown on my leg then my shoulder and I was feeding her and the others some kale when I looked at her and she pecked me. And then when I tried to get her off to get out she just rolled onto my back and wouldn't get off. Finally shook her loose. She likes being higher than anybody. So maybe that is a bad thing? And I'm gonna stop letting them climb all over me. But I will give her one more chance and if she doesn't improve then she is gone. Obviously her pecking me is bad but I can find a way to deal with it, like wearing goggles or something, and she actually seems kinda scared when I get mad at her, like didnt mean to?, but I won't stand for her terrorizing the others so if that doesn't improve then she'll be gone. But I do think the bigger space will help. And maybe the fact that it's a new space they all have to get used to? I am hoping that will help and if that doesn't help then I'll actually give her 3 chances meaning I'll try separating her from the flock for a week and if she still doesn't improve, it's over. But I am really hoping that she will because she's very pretty and I think lays well and seems very curious about me, just takes it too far. I hope she can improve so I don't have to cull her

 

[ShrekDawg]

I agree. I would give a second chance and see if she calms down. Especially if these are your first chickens I wouldn't be making any hasty decisions. But if she doesn't change unless you want to deal with a terror I suggest you just cull her. She does not  respect you or her flock mates and just wants to hunt every one down.  That is not a good behavior to have in a flock. On the other hand update us when you move her! Im sure a bigger space will probably do her lots of good.