Two Hens - one has to go. Please help us decide what to do!

[mammat]

Get rid of the RIR. Honestly I have had several and they were all AWFUL. I will not ever get another one. Our very first one had to be seperated on day 1 because it was trying to eat the other day olds toes. It was always agressive and never friendly. Like the others said if you get a new hen to be with Beans she will beat it up also!

 

[seminolewind]

Beans may find a better home than Sophie because she's a good layer. Sophie may end up being bullied in another flock.
I have an "attack" hen. She kept attacking my Polish. She actually growls. I did take her and a roo and put them in a separate coop/pen for months, she's okay now.
I like that pinless peepers idea.

 

[frmgrl1968]

Boot the bully and get sweet Sophie a kind hearted companion I have golden buffs I got from Meyers in Polk Ohio and barred rocks but my golden buffs are sweet loving ladies. Long live Sophie. Lol getting animated is a good thing.

 

[UncleTommy]

What I would do is get atleast 2 more hens, any breed as long as they are big enough to not get hurt by Beans. With more of a flock the dynamic should be better. If it turns out that Beans is still being the bully then separate her for a while then reintroduce her to the other girls, there should be more of a pecking order with more than just 2 hens.

 

[stcroixusvi]

Why are you not building a second coop?

And getting more chickens?

...this from someone who gave a rooster away and then went back a week later to get him back. We built another, small coop to accommodate some behavioral issues.

 

[CMTSMWC]

Wow I guess I got lucky with my RIR hen, she is very sweet.

I also would keep the underdog

And stcroixusvi, you sound like me, I have accommodated for four roosters in pairs of two I am lucky that they get along in their pairs

 

[rancher hicks]

they'reHISchickens :

Rehome BOTH and get two compatible hens of the same breed?

I have more than one flock. I have one that is 13 Dels and has two roosters, BUT there are also Frenchy a bantam friz and Buckwheat her daughter in the mix and they do fine.

Now my other flock is an assortment of Orps and two RIR's and some EE's and a Lav Amer. That group has ,,,, are you ready,,,,,,,6 roosters. Only minor problems there. Looking for homes for two of the roosters. Not bad mind you. The third flock is 11 BR and 2 SLW of which there is one rooster. The Br's and the SLW's are finally eating together.

Roosters are good for flocks as they can keep the peace between the girls.

What I recommend the OP do is get rid of the RIR hen and bring in two either BO's, Dels , or BR's hens or of course Sussex. I would recommend the new girls be the same age but younger than the Sussex but not chicks. Of the three I mentioned the BO's are the friendliest and that's saying something since I prefer Dels.

Temperament is an inbred thing with animals and something to be bred out IMO. More times than not I read about a RIR rooster who is not nice. Unfortunately they are also big and good for the table.

I wish you well,

Rancher​

 

[chick-among-us]

We don't put up with bully roosters and a hen that aggressive would surly pass that on the offspring. IMO I would cull her, freezer camp it would be for her! If you only can keep two and you really like that breed get one not so aggressive! But however We eat our extras it is the way we do it...So far we have been unable to kill our own culls and are lucky enough that our neighbor does it for favors here and there! He will butcher them for us and sends the meat back over. We arent at the point of killing our own birds however we know it is coming as we are increasing our flock. I have several of our birds in the freezer for different reasons...to many roos...they are meat birds...And one about to go for agression! and couple others for poor conformation that cannot be used for breeding! ALL roos...hens are precious,I get that. But any bird that could possibly cost you money in other ways isnt good! If she attcks the other bird until she becomes ill that will cost you money potentially and heartache for certain, good luck

 

[Judy]

I agree, that bad of a bully always must go, eggs or not. I would not expose another hen to her and chance yet another victim. Replace her with a breed such as those suggested who are usually friendly, easygoing birds. I'd get only one.

I once grew out a straight run of chicks, bought with the intention of putting most of the cockerels in the freezer. There was a particularly aggressive pullet in the bunch, and she went in the freezer, too. I've gotten rid of several chickens who were harming the others; to me that is part of my responsibility. JMO, of course.

 

[Mattemma]

I can tolerant the pecking order unless it is constant and brutal attacks each day. I would probably want to get rid of Bean.Thing is another hen brought in might be just as bad towards Sophie. Still, I would rather risk that then having Bean the Bully. Could keep her in a dog crate alone. I had hens in the house recovering from injury.They would talk,scratch,and lay their eggs daily.As long as I cleaned constantly there was no issue with stink.

My RSL hens are more aggresive than my EE's,but I have caught my EE's pecking at each other...but it is mild compared to what the RSL hens dish out daily.