What is good head hen behavior?

[Lainey-chick]

My current and last head hen fit this mold. Calm, smooth, and confident but willing to check anyone who gets too rowdy close to her. My second in order is a little more aggressive but still not mean. My 3rd is the mean girl! She bullies everybody under her (20 birds). She doesn't even think of looking at the top 2 hens or the head Roo in an aggressive manner though. It never goes too far because everyone knows she's a B and they give her a wide berth. I supply plenty of room to move out of her way. Even if your bird doesn't chill with age, as long as nobody is getting injured, you should be ok. Plenty of space is key at that point.

Thanks, these messages of how other head hens behave make me feel better about the situation.

I did a lot of research on space when we were planning. They have more than enough room and will usually walk wide around her. They have plenty of clutter in the run to jump on and hide behind, but she is not a chaser, so no one is ever running or hiding out of fear and there is really no blood shed aside from the leghorn‘s comb damage.

 

[Thatscluckinggreat]

Thanks, these messages of how other head hens behave make me feel better about the situation.

I did a lot of research on space when we were planning. They have more than enough room and will usually walk wide around her. They have plenty of clutter in the run to jump on and hide behind, but she is not a chaser, so no one is ever running or hiding out of fear and there is really no blood shed aside from the leghorn‘s comb damage.

Kudos on doing the research on space. If you had not...you would probably have had a more dire issue with her. They just do NOT care if a bird can steer clear or not. Get in my space...suffer the wrath. If I come in your space...suffer the wrath. I'm related to a few humans who act as such also.

 

[Lainey-chick]

Kudos on doing the research on space. If you had not...you would probably have had a more dire issue with her. They just do NOT care if a bird can steer clear or not. Get in my space...suffer the wrath. If I come in your space...suffer the wrath. I'm related to a few humans who act as such also.

Yes!!! I told my hubby that they remind me of a soap opera with all the drama and catty behavior. LOL

 

[Thatscluckinggreat]

Yes!!! I told my hubby that they remind me of a soap opera with all the drama and catty behavior. LOL

Real housewives spinoff? Oh by the way...My head hen is named Goldie also. Goldie the Golden Comet. 1 XL egg every day!

 

[chickmamato7]

My meanest chicken became a great leader and flock protector over time. The reason she struggled initially is that I had 3 potential leaders and they didn't always submit appropriately. I eventually re-homed the 2 lower ranking and they went on to become great leaders of different flocks. All became calm and peaceful once I re-homed the ones that didn't fit into the pecking order after a full year of wait and see. I also had to re-home some at the bottom, who seemed to invite bullying to the point of bowing to have their head feathers plucked out. They were re-homed into a smaller flock that free ranges, so they no longer get picked on.

Sometimes the one that looks like the trouble maker isn't really the problem at hand. Careful observation will help you see things more clearly and you can also experiment with temporary removals to see how things might change with a re-home. I just do what has to be done for the general good of the flock and for the continued joy of keeping chickens.

Good luck!

 

[Lainey-chick]

My meanest chicken became a great leader and flock protector over time. The reason she struggled initially is that I had 3 potential leaders and they didn't always submit appropriately. I eventually re-homed the 2 lower ranking and they went on to become great leaders of different flocks. All became calm and peaceful once I re-homed the ones that didn't fit into the pecking order after a full year of wait and see. I also had to re-home some at the bottom, who seemed to invite bullying to the point of bowing to have their head feathers plucked out. They were re-homed into a smaller flock that free ranges, so they no longer get picked on.

Sometimes the one that looks like the trouble maker isn't really the problem at hand. Careful observation will help you see things more clearly and you can also experiment with temporary removals to see how things might change with a re-home. I just do what has to be done for the general good of the flock and for the continued joy of keeping chickens.

Good luck!

This is good to know!! Didn’t even think of this being a possibility. I’ll watch more closely.

 

[Lainey-chick]

Real housewives spinoff? Oh by the way...My head hen is named Goldie also. Goldie the Golden Comet. 1 XL egg every day!

Goldie is a great name for a chicken!! Golden Comets are very similar to ISA’s. They are fantastic egg layers!

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Good luck with Goldie! I think she will get better. I'm glad you have plenty of hiding opportunities and space.
My bottom rung hen acts like her around younger chickens. but with chasing and clawing added. Then the other big ones gang up on her and... Gangbang her for lack of a more tactful way of putting it.

She has to be separated any time I introduce new birds because the others all welcome newcomers more peacefully. A couple weeks of see no touch with her in a crate in the coop, and she is less dramatic. I plan to rehome her or wait for her to pass away before getting any new chickens, it's not worth the drama

 

[SmotherHen]

What makes a good head hen? I did a search and couldn’t find the answer.

My pullet, Goldie, is “head hen”. Just trying to decide if she is being a good head hen with normal pecking order behavior or If she’s just a mean girl.

All of my 19/20 wk old pullets have started laying eggs (except the barred rock, Oreo, who is the lowest ranking chicken). The cockerel is becoming a good rooster, treating the ladies right so far and minds his own business when people enter the run.

Goldie, an ISA Brown, is the most beautiful chicken I have. She has a big white fluffy butt with redish brown and white feathers down her back. Her beauty only goes skin deep, though. I think she has a mean streak. She bites the others and causes them to shriek. They all try to avoid her. She will reach out and bite them as they walk by, sometimes she holds on. All of my leghorns have their combs pecked, but I’m not positive it’s her doing that. One time she even bit me and twisted my skin. Is this normal pecking order behavior? Or is she just a mean girl on a power trip? She has not caused anyone to lose feathers and doesn’t draw blood, except the leghorn combs look a little rough.

I was thinking about re-homing her, but don’t want to if she is just being a normal chicken because she is a really good egg layer. But, I don’t want her terrorizing the others if this is not normal behavior.

I've had ISA Browns for almost 3 years now and some of them are more aggressive than other breeds that I have (Wyandottes & Buckeyes). That being said personality/pecking order makes a huge difference. I raised a rooster last spring who isknow almost one. He has assumed the lead and doing good by the hens. The lead ladies of the ISA Browns and the Buckeyes have still retained their dominance over the lesser hens though and they don't allow the rooster to mate without a struggle.
I've only two ISA Browns left at this point as they usually pass around year two due to being "Production" type birds but true to the genetics they have been laying an XL egg year round but have slowed down this winter to every other day. I have another 4 production chicks arriving in the spring as I think they are good hens. Not skittish and will let you handle them when needed.

 

[Iluveggers]

My “mean girl” is pretty much only mean around the feeders. Right around when she started laying, she would go after anyone else who tried to eat when she was eating. She chilled out a lot, although if she is at a feeder and if one of the lower girls comes over she’ll give them a look and if they don’t move she’ll make like she’s going to peck them (much better than the chase until peck that she used to do).

I now have 4 feeders out in the morning, and that helps alot too. My main feeder is always full, and I grabbed three old Tupperware containers that I fill in the morning. When I let them out it provides a space so everyone can eat first thing. Not sure how many feed stations you have, but more is better. Same with roost space.