Trouble in Paradise: Bossy Hen

[Alagirl]

K, Seems I have 2 girls that don't get along.
One of the Barred Rocks is chasing one of the Ameraucanas every chance she gets.
The poor girl is getting bald along the side of the head. (so much for 8x8=64 - enough for 5 birds. Maybe the square shape isn't working?)
My spare 'coop' does not seem to be big enough for one girl, but I guess it would work in a pinch. Do I pull Bossy out or her victim?
What else can I do? Poor girl was standing behind the waterer and drinking 'around the corner'

Would putting up more than one feed and water station help?

 

[SueT]

Pinless Peepers can curtail bullying. They don’t stop the hen from eating, drinking, roosting. But they stop pecking. This bully wore hers all summer, and when removed, she was no longer a bully.

 

[SueT]

Having more than one feeder and waterer definitely would help. As would placing obstacles in the run —like branches or objects to hide behind.
For 11 chickens I have 5 feed bowls, and 2 waterers. There will be more water stations in the summer. I have dividers on the roosts as well.

 

[Mrs. K]

A lot of runs are just an open 2 dimensional area. Set up so that all of the hens can see each other 100% of the time. Adding mini walls, boxes, roosts, ladders, saw horses, platforms where birds can get under or on top - makes much more use of the vertical space.

Extra feed spaces need to be behind something, so that a bird eating at one station, cannot see a bird eating at another. Interestingly, I have never had trouble with water, but many mention it.

I too vote pin-less peepers. But the big thing is to do something different. They are telling you, what you have now, is not working.

Mrs K

 

[Alagirl]

where do I get those peeper things?

 

[SueT]

where do I get those peeper things?

I got mine on Ebay. I found a seller who would sell 6, often they are in large quantities.
You don’t need a tool to put them on, but you do need 2 people. One to hold the bird, and the other to pop the peeper prongs into the nostrils. Soak in very hot water to make it more flexible. Practice flexing it so you can do it quickly.
The hen will act disoriented, stagger aground, and try to remove it. Don’t give in, she’ll get used to it.
It isn’t fun or easy to do this, but it solves a problem.

 

[Alagirl]

I got mine on Ebay. I found a seller who would sell 6, often they are in large quantities.
You don’t need a tool to put them on, but you do need 2 people. One to hold the bird, and the other to pop the peeper prongs into the nostrils. Soak in very hot water to make it more flexible. Practice flexing it so you can do it quickly.
The hen will act disoriented, stagger aground, and try to remove it. Don’t give in, she’ll get used to it.
It isn’t fun or easy to do this, but it solves a problem.

yes, I noticed they come in quantities of 10-40.
thanks for the tip about soaking them in hot water!