KirbyH
Songster
Just want to relate how the situation with the mean, aggressive chicken (Big Bad Red) turned out. We separated the chicken from the rest of the flock and put her in an area where she had her own private residence but shared the fenced space with our two silkies. We kept her there for about 6 weeks. At first she paced the perimeter and complained loudly, then finally she became resigned and stopped that behavior--she could see the other chickens roaming the yard and sometimes they even came up to the garden fence next to her. It was impossible to tell what communications went on but there was no evidence of aggression.
Since the space includes our vegetable garden and it is time to plant, we decided to reintegrate her back into the main flock. So far relationships are completely changed and she no longer beats up on the other chickens. The time apart gave the younger chickens time to get bigger and for their combs to mature. These young ones were laying when she was removed so they weren't obviously smaller but we think she knew they were less mature and more able to be bullied--though she also bullied a chicken who was her age. I bought the pinless peepers to use as a last resort but they seemed so cruel I didn't give them a try. Banishment seems to have worked in this case so anyone with the same problem should think of doing it. Thanks to this community for the feedback!
PS Big Bad Red never appeared to acknowledge the silkies as competitors--she may not have thought they were chickens!
Since the space includes our vegetable garden and it is time to plant, we decided to reintegrate her back into the main flock. So far relationships are completely changed and she no longer beats up on the other chickens. The time apart gave the younger chickens time to get bigger and for their combs to mature. These young ones were laying when she was removed so they weren't obviously smaller but we think she knew they were less mature and more able to be bullied--though she also bullied a chicken who was her age. I bought the pinless peepers to use as a last resort but they seemed so cruel I didn't give them a try. Banishment seems to have worked in this case so anyone with the same problem should think of doing it. Thanks to this community for the feedback!
PS Big Bad Red never appeared to acknowledge the silkies as competitors--she may not have thought they were chickens!
