Weirdo Banty

[ZombieChickens]

I have a weirdo unidentified banty. She was a year old in April-ish. She had layed for about 6 months. Not extremely regularly, maybe every other day, or every 3 days....but she layed. Then at mid summer she went broody and stopped laying. She hasn't started laying again. Being that she's a pretty big jerk, what am I supposed to do with her? Just let her beat up on the "bottom of the barrel" girls, eat for free with nothing in return? What do you guys do???

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/63900_100_0596.jpg

That's her....the one in brown.

 

[mnabity]

Honestly if she was mine she would be on her way to freezer camp. Her picking on the other low on the ladder hens could cause issues with their laying, the happier your girls the better they will lay. I'm guessing you have chickens for the same reason I do, mainly eggs. I do get attached to mine but if one isn't laying and is causing issues in the flock its better for all to send her to the freezer. Just my humble opinion.

 

[ZombieChickens]

I was afraid you would say that......dang.

Is that normal to just stop laying? That young? They're well fed, watered, plenty of room.....I'm just surprised she quit!

 

[kari_dawn]

do they free range? She may have found a new place to lay...


Also, try separating her from the rest of the crew for a week, then re-introduce her. It may put her in her place so to speak...

 

[ZombieChickens]

No.... I have a largeish coop and a nice sized run. When I do let them in my (large, fenced in) garden, they usually don't get out. But I haven't even let them out lately, due to my neighbors a-hole dogs.

 

[kari_dawn]

separating her for a week still wouldn't hurt

 

[spiritdance]

she looks like she has some gold sebright in her, and sebrights are not "humble" birds! Mine are bossy and hyper. For me it works because I can mix them with the big girls when I'm not hatching and they do just fine, unlike some banty breeds that tend to get picked on in mixed size flocks. The breed is also known for fertility problems and can be undependable layers.

 

[Ukiah]

Bantams don't lay year 'round.

Usually they lay good in spring and some in summer them quit during the fall - not an egg during winter.
If you want to keep her for a pet - that's fine. But bantams are not used as egg layers, not only because
of the fact that they don't lay like laying hens, but also the size of the eggs.

Bantams tend to be a little more intense in temperament than large breeds, however that's no reason to
let her pick on your other birds.

Did she act like this when they were free-ranging?

I would also recommend separating her for a week or two, then re-introducing her to the flock.

Approximately how bug is the coop and run, and how many birds do you have?

 

[Ariel301]

It's likely she isn't laying right now because of the length of days. Many chickens will slow down or stop altogether in late fall/winter when the days are short. It's a natural thing, and it's more pronounced in breeds that have not been selected to be high-efficiency egg machines. She will likely start again when the days start to get longer--maybe around January or February. So, if you like her well enough, wait a couple of months and see what happens. If not...bantams make pretty decent soup.

 

[ZombieChickens]

Quote:
Bahahahahaha!! Soup. Oh, geeze, that's the LAST thing I need on my plate right now...learning to butcher my birds. AND explain to my kids what's (who's) for dinner. I'll let her go until spring, but she is definately my most intense bird. She was given to my kids at an event, and was a loner, bottom of the barrel. Now she's the smallest bird, but the biggest bully.