Small Flock Bully

[Zen Hen Momma]

Strange hen behavior question. I have 3 hens all 1 1/2 years old. One has been a bully pecking the others most of the first year. She’s currently acting broody sitting in the nest box for a while on nothing. Today I booted her out to clean to free range for a while and I observed bully hen crouched down next to the one she picks on the most, holding her down by the neck. Bully hen’s wings were spread a little and she was kind of dancing back and forth while the other one was motionless with its head pinned. I literally had to hold bully hens head to get her to release the poor girl. Is this a case of confused gender? I ended up putting her in a crate in the coop and she’ll stay there for a while but it’s been suggested I rehome her. If I’m left with 2 is there a downside? If I get a 4th will that help? I’m at a loss.

 

[Chicalina]

Upsetting the flock dynamics is a very good idea. Moving her out for a few days, adding more hens in (not pullets), adding a rooster, removing her altogether - all of these may improve the situation.

What is your setup? There are also ways to improve this for bullied hens, such as adding in extra space (vertical or horizontal), adding clutter and hideaways, having several water and food stations, etc.

 

[Zen Hen Momma]

Upsetting the flock dynamics is a very good idea. Moving her out for a few days, adding more hens in (not pullets), adding a rooster, removing her altogether - all of these may improve the situation.

What is your setup? There are also ways to improve this for bullied hens, such as adding in extra space (vertical or horizontal), adding clutter and hideaways, having several water and food stations, etc.

I have huge feeders and drinkers to 3 hens. Coop is 12x12 with multiple roosting bars and toys. Run is 7x7 with multiple places to perch. I have a large dust bath in the run but sand inside the coop as well. I can’t let them free range but I do let them out about 20 minutes or so a day while I clean. As far as a rooster, I’ve been told I don’t have enough hens to support a rooster.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you already have bullying issues, don't add more to the mix.

Since you mentioned she's broody, do you want her to hatch? If the answer is no, you could try killing 2 birds with 1 stone and put her in a broody breaker to 1) break her broodiness and 2) shake up her spot in the pecking order a tiny bit.

 

[BecaHawaii]

I have huge feeders and drinkers to 3 hens. Coop is 12x12 with multiple roosting bars and toys. Run is 7x7 with multiple places to perch. I have a large dust bath in the run but sand inside the coop as well. I can’t let them free range but I do let them out about 20 minutes or so a day while I clean. As far as a rooster, I’ve been told I don’t have enough hens to support a rooster.

I can't free-range or even let my girls out. I have 7 & a Roo. (I do have free-range they are not my egg layers.) What stopped the fighting with mine were perches that were really high. They could go from the lower to the upper quickly and feel safe and down again. As well as the dark egg house.

 

[629864]

If you already have bullying issues, don't add more to the mix.

Since you mentioned she's broody, do you want her to hatch? If the answer is no, you could try killing 2 birds with 1 stone and put her in a broody breaker to 1) break her broodiness and 2) shake up her spot in the pecking order a tiny bit.

What is a broody breaker?

 

[rosemarythyme]

What is a broody breaker?

Any cage/enclosure used to break a broody. Most folks use a wire dog crate for that purpose.

 

[629864]

Any cage/enclosure used to break a broody. Most folks use a wire dog crate for that purpose.

Oh, so is the idea is to prevent her having a nesting box? I ask because half of my ladies have chosen the floor in the corner of the hen house as their laying spot. I tried putting a big uncomfortable rock there to encourage use of the nesting boxes, but they're stubborn ladies and just laid their eggs next to the rock...so I eventually just let them have their corner. So, while we do have several such dog crates we could use like you're suggesting, I'm not sure it would work for the girls who lay their eggs on the floor anyway. Thoughts? How many days does one use the broody breaker? I've heard separating bullies for 3-4 days. Is the broody breaker principle similar to that?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Oh, so is the idea is to prevent her having a nesting box? I ask because half of my ladies have chosen the floor in the corner of the hen house as their laying spot. I tried putting a big uncomfortable rock there to encourage use of the nesting boxes, but they're stubborn ladies and just laid their eggs next to the rock...so I eventually just let them have their corner. So, while we do have several such dog crates we could use like you're suggesting, I'm not sure it would work for the girls who lay their eggs on the floor anyway. Thoughts?

The broody breaker is not for fixing "birds not laying in nest" issues like you have.

For your issue, this is what I do, which some others have confirmed worked for them as well:

Now this isn't practical if you don't have time to stalk them, but what I did was I learned the problem bird(s) laying schedules, and when they went to their preferred spot to lay, I'd go and pick them up, stick them in a nest box, and barricade them in using my arms to cover the exit. 30-60 seconds was all they needed to calm down and start exploring the box and decide that maybe it wasn't such a bad place to be. They each started reliably using the boxes after that.

Alternatively, some folks design "doors" on their nest boxes so birds can be locked in, which basically does the same as above, but forces the bird to stay in the nest box (whereas once I see them exploring and sitting down in the nest, I leave them to it and walk away).

How many days does one use the broody breaker? I've heard separating bullies for 3-4 days. Is the broody breaker principle similar to that?

How broody jail works is to keep a broody bird from sitting on the nest, and in most cases to get cooler air under her belly in order to help with breaking her. Here's my write up on how to break a broody:

Broody jail: Put her in an isolation cage with some food and water, in sight of the others (in the coop if it's not too hot or in/near the run is ideal). A wire cage elevated to air flow under her would be the best option, however I've used everything from a brooder to a dog exercise pen.

Keep her in the cage around the clock for about 2 days. At that time, if she's shows fewer signs of broodiness (puffing up, flattening down and growling, tik tik tik noise) you can let her out to test her. If she runs back to the nest at any point (usually they don't do it immediately, but maybe after 15 minutes, maybe an hour) then she's not yet sufficiently broken and needs to go back to the cage for another 24 hours. Then let her out and test her again. Repeat until she's no longer going to the nest box.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run, run not predator proof) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.

 

[629864]

The broody breaker is not for fixing "birds not laying in nest" issues like you have.

For your issue, this is what I do, which some others have confirmed worked for them as well:

Now this isn't practical if you don't have time to stalk them, but what I did was I learned the problem bird(s) laying schedules, and when they went to their preferred spot to lay, I'd go and pick them up, stick them in a nest box, and barricade them in using my arms to cover the exit. 30-60 seconds was all they needed to calm down and start exploring the box and decide that maybe it wasn't such a bad place to be. They each started reliably using the boxes after that.

Alternatively, some folks design "doors" on their nest boxes so birds can be locked in, which basically does the same as above, but forces the bird to stay in the nest box (whereas once I see them exploring and sitting down in the nest, I leave them to it and walk away).




How broody jail works is to keep a broody bird from sitting on the nest, and in most cases to get cooler air under her belly in order to help with breaking her. Here's my write up on how to break a broody:

Broody jail: Put her in an isolation cage with some food and water, in sight of the others (in the coop if it's not too hot or in/near the run is ideal). A wire cage elevated to air flow under her would be the best option, however I've used everything from a brooder to a dog exercise pen.

Keep her in the cage around the clock for about 2 days. At that time, if she's shows fewer signs of broodiness (puffing up, flattening down and growling, tik tik tik noise) you can let her out to test her. If she runs back to the nest at any point (usually they don't do it immediately, but maybe after 15 minutes, maybe an hour) then she's not yet sufficiently broken and needs to go back to the cage for another 24 hours. Then let her out and test her again. Repeat until she's no longer going to the nest box.

IF the isolation cage is not safe for overnight stay (i.e. sits outside the run, run not predator proof) then put her on the roost at night, and retrieve her from the nest box the next morning and put her back in the cage. It may take a little longer this way but better than letting a predator get to her.

That's really awesome information and I KNOW I'm going to need it all down the road. I really appreciate the great explanation.