What to do?

[Mandied]

We slowly introduced our chicken that had gotten hurt into the flock. They did good for awhile now they are bullying her. Mostly our ISA Browns. They will literally get on top of her peck her. I know her being skiddish isn't helping. She runs and they go after her. What do we need to do to help. We have put all of the other ones in time out (in alittle dog crate) for about 30 minutes to an hour. When they get out they will still go at her. Please help.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Lots of reasons one hen will become a target in a flock. Things like protein deficiencies, and crowding can cause increased aggression. If there's something wrong with a bird sometimes the others will try to kill it or drive it out, especially in smaller confined situations.

Sharing more about how they are housed, and what they are fed may help. I personally would plan to keep this one separately for a while until you can figure out what's going on.

Your aggressive birds are a breed that is known for higher egg production. Generally they need a higher protein ration, and more room in my experiences. I no longer keep any sex link breeds, or higher production breeds because they can sometimes cause problems.

 

[Mandied]

Lots of reasons one hen will become a target in a flock. Things like protein deficiencies, and crowding can cause increased aggression. If there's something wrong with a bird sometimes the others will try to kill it or drive it out, especially in smaller confined situations.

Sharing more about how they are housed, and what they are fed may help. I personally would plan to keep this one separately for a while until you can figure out what's going on.

Your aggressive birds are a breed that is known for higher egg production. Generally they need a higher protein ration, and more room in my experiences. I no longer keep any sex link breeds, or higher production breeds because they can sometimes cause problems.

We only have 7 right now. They have all been together for almost 2 years. They have always picked on the little 3 but not They are now. The one that was hurt is better now

 

[SandyRiverChick]

How many ISA's ? I no longer add RIR's or RIR hybrid's due to tendency to be aggressive. Any breed can do this but for me it's been way more common in these breeds. Keep a close eye on it because the sight of any blood can turn it into a medieval type battle quickly.

 

[Mandied]

How many ISA's ? I no longer add RIR's or RIR hybrid's due to tendency to be aggressive. Any breed can do this but for me it's been way more common in these breeds. Keep a close eye on it because the sight of any blood can turn it into a medieval type battle quickly.

We have 4 Isas. Then 2 oegb and a d'uccle. Our d'uccle was the one that got hurt.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Your aggressive birds are a breed that is known for higher egg production. Generally they need a higher protein ration, and more room in my experiences.

ISA Browns are a commercial egg-laying hybrid, specially bred to produce a lot of relatively large eggs. If you check they are typically fed a ration of about 16% protein. No treats or anything else, just that ration. Since they are so attuned to egg production if you feed them more protein they are more likely to have egg related medical issues. Things like prolapse, internal laying or releasing additional yolks that can lead to double yolkers, multiple eggs in a day, soft or thin shells, all kinds of problems. There is a reason the professionals feed those hybrids a 16% ration. Profit is better if the hens are not having medical issues.

We slowly introduced our chicken that had gotten hurt into the flock. They did good for awhile now they are bullying her. Mostly our ISA Browns. They will literally get on top of her peck her. I know her being skiddish isn't helping. She runs and they go after her. What do we need to do to help. We have put all of the other ones in time out (in alittle dog crate) for about 30 minutes to an hour. When they get out they will still go at her. Please help.

How much room do you have? I understand they are two years old so it's been a while, but sometimes tight spaces make behavioral problems worse. It sounds like this being this bad is fairly recent.

Is it all of your ISA Browns or just one ringleader? Sometimes if you isolate a chicken for several days to a week you can knock them down in the pecking order and they change their behaviors.

I've not had your exact situation but occasionally one chicken will develop a dislike toward another. Or a flock will attack a specific chicken as OldHensLikesDogs said. You may be in the situation where you need to rehome one.

 

[Mandied]

ISA Browns are a commercial egg-laying hybrid, specially bred to produce a lot of relatively large eggs. If you check they are typically fed a ration of about 16% protein. No treats or anything else, just that ration. Since they are so attuned to egg production if you feed them more protein they are more likely to have egg related medical issues. Things like prolapse, internal laying or releasing additional yolks that can lead to double yolkers, multiple eggs in a day, soft or thin shells, all kinds of problems. There is a reason the professionals feed those hybrids a 16% ration. Profit is better if the hens are not having medical issues.


How much room do you have? I understand they are two years old so it's been a while, but sometimes tight spaces make behavioral problems worse. It sounds like this being this bad is fairly recent.

Is it all of your ISA Browns or just one ringleader? Sometimes if you isolate a chicken for several days to a week you can knock them down in the pecking order and they change their behaviors.

I've not had your exact situation but occasionally one chicken will develop a dislike toward another. Or a flock will attack a specific chicken as OldHensLikesDogs said. You may be in the situation where you need to rehome one.

It's around 14 by 18 feet. They all kinda take turns. We have one isa that is more aggressive and that's with all of them. It's like that one can either be as nice as could be and then turn around and she is mean

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

ISA Browns are a commercial egg-laying hybrid, specially bred to produce a lot of relatively large eggs. If you check they are typically fed a ration of about 16% protein. No treats or anything else, just that ration. Since they are so attuned to egg production if you feed them more protein they are more likely to have egg related medical issues. Things like prolapse, internal laying or releasing additional yolks that can lead to double yolkers, multiple eggs in a day, soft or thin shells, all kinds of problems. There is a reason the professionals feed those hybrids a 16% ration. Profit is better if the hens are not having medical issues.

I recommended a higher protein ration, because most backyard chicken keepers feed treats and lower protein snacks. They are not keeping their chickens as production birds, but as pets. The 16% layer ration is formulated to be fed as the sole ration. Most do not do that. I haven't seen any of those problems personally, and there's many ways to feed poultry.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's around 14 by 18 feet. They all kinda take turns. We have one isa that is more aggressive and that's with all of them. It's like that one can either be as nice as could be and then turn around and she is mean

For 7 mature birds that should be plenty of room. I don't have any solution for you to keep her other than two coops, two runs, and two separate flocks.

 

[Mandied]

For 7 mature birds that should be plenty of room. I don't have any solution for you to keep her other than two coops, two runs, and two separate flocks.

Thanks