The EE braggers thread!!!

[fuzzybutt love]

I have a question about EEs. I just bought 4 2yr old EE hens. They are all being pecked on and chased. They seem to be at the bottom of the pecking order. I found one EE hen pinned in the cross fence when they were free ranging and her back feathers plucked. I feel so bad for all four of them,

You will always have the low chicken at the bottom of the pecking order, however I would not tolerate excessive bullying, like plucking a chicken bare. I would either remove the instigator for a week or so then reintroduce her, or remove the lowest and see if they then attack the next lowest. If the next lowest then got attacked in the same way I would definately permenanty remove the bully(s) but if the second lowest wasn't picked on as hard I would assume the chicken that was getting picked on hard was the problem and remove her permenantly from the flock.

x 2

I'm pretty pleased with the way my flock treats one another. of course there is an order, but there is some flexibility within the ranks... one can peck another for roost space and get pecked back over the feed dish... my gang doesn't need to peck at each other much, there is plenty of space, lots of roosts and 3 feeding/watering stations.

very good advice from both of you. I second the extra feed and especially water dishes. At least until the order is better, another trick i use when doing new intros is to let out the birds in groups from the highest pecking order first, wait a bit, then a lower group...... This gives the bullyies a chance to run off a bit of steam, and the others to eat a bite un-harrassed before heading out.

Then let in in order of lowest to highest, again so that the underlings get a chance to eat. ABOVE ALL FEEL THE CROPS AT NIGHFALL! This is the most important step, may save a life. They need to have full crops, that will be the most sure way to know how bad the bullying is as the bullies won't be wanting to share food.

 

[CGinJCMO]

I dont think it really matters the breed. An established flock is used to each other they have an order that they all understand when a new member/members come in everything gets thrown out of whack and the lower on the todem pole will try to pick on the newer girls to change the order. All will settle down though once they figure out the new pecking order.

For instance my EE that is on the absolute bottom gets pecked by every one she doesnt peck back she just screams and runs. But when I let all the flocks free range together Rose the EE will run and find the 9 week old marans chicks and she pecks them and chases them because they are the newest.

I have a 4 month old cockerel that is the newest one and he still can't roost with the rest of the flock because he's "low man on the totem pole"

He's been with them for a couple of months and usually has to sleep in a nest box. I put him on a roost, and the hen closest to him will start pecking at him and he has to jump down to get away. If I wait until it's totally dark, so that he has to stay (too dark for the girls to see him and for him to see to jump down) he still isn't able to roost with them the next night.

I started tolerating his sleeping arrangements because I eventually will send him to "freezer camp". I haven't heard him crow yet, but he's definately male. If only I thought it was female, I'd love the pretty mix of feather colors.

CG

 

[DMRippy]

I have a question about EEs. I just bought 4 2yr old EE hens. They are all being pecked on and chased. They seem to be at the bottom of the pecking order. I found one EE hen pinned in the cross fence when they were free ranging and her back feathers plucked. I feel so bad for all four of them,

Did you quarantine them for 30 days? After that you can put them in a cage in the pen with the others so they can kinda get to know each other for a week.... then put them in the coop at NIGHT. You still would need to watch them for a few days.

 

[MaryRose213]

Thanks every one for the advice. The pecking wasn't as bad today. The new EEs stay in the coop during free range time. When the other hens come in at night, the new EEs go up and roost and they stay there until morning. When I open the door in the morning, the hens come out and the EEs stay on the roost until the coast is clear before coming down. I guess it will stay this way for a while. At least the pecking isn't as vicious. I haven't figured out which hen plucked her bald yet.

 

[MaryRose213]

yes I did quaranteen them and had them in the cages for introduction. I guess this is why I am so surprised on the rough acceptance.

 

[flower]

About integrating new birds. All of the above are the best answers. I have learn to move my birds around from pen to pen by moving three at a time. They are all in within sight of one another.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

What are your other breeds, Mary? I had to re-home a production red that was a committed food hoarder, some breeds are just too dominant for mixing with EE's Imo.


(But then there are always exceptions with any breed)

 

[flower]

Maybe you are asking me what breeds I have ? Welsummer, Marans, Ameraucana, EEs mix of red sex link and EE, Brebanter, NN, OE from the Marans and Am, Golden Spangeled Hamburg, Silver Laced Wyandotte , Polish and Silkies in bantam pen.

 

[MaryRose213]

I have 3 RIR, 3 gold comets, 4 black stars, 4 wyandottes. Two reds one black star like to grab and hang on the comb maiking it bleed. Every time I go into the coop all the EEs are in the corner with thier heads towards the wall.

 

[flower]

I have 3 RIR, 3 gold comets, 4 black stars, 4 wyandottes. Two reds one black star like to grab and hang on the comb maiking it bleed. Every time I go into the coop all the EEs are in the corner with thier heads towards the wall.

That is sad, I know that crested birds have a hard time in a mixed flock but have not heard too much about EEs having problems. I wonder how they would behave if they all grew up from incubation period. Most of mine have been together for years. In the future I plan on incubating all of their eggs and starting over. My EE is one of the oldest and best layer of big green eggs and she holds her own quite well. But I needed to put peepers on the Marans and Ameraucanas to keep them from feather picking.