Why are my hens so mean to each other?

Date sort Score sort
SnowHugs

SnowHugs

Chirping
Sep 19, 2023
73
50
54
Blue Ridge, GA
I know there is a pecking order, but this has gotten pretty bad. At first, it was just one of the hens being mean to another one to the point of ripping out most of her feathers. That is still going on, but now all three of them is also gaining up on a new hen I introduced them to about two months ago. They were all getting on top of her a pulling on her feathers. I finally had to push them off and take the new one out. They used to not be like this, so I really don’t understand what is going on. Would a rooster solve this and break up the fight? Or would he make it worst? My Dad doesn’t want a rooster, but I might could convince him to allow one if it solved the fighting issue. What should I do?
 
Not much you can do other than rehome, cull, or keep all separated. Bullying and terrorizing is a behavior you need to nip in the bud right away before they all learn the behavior.
 
If you have plenty of room, and they are receiving a balanced chicken feed, you might watch who is the main bully. Then try some pinless peepers on the bully.Those allow them to see well enough to eat, drink, and get around, but makes it hard to target and peck another chicken. Here is where to read about them, and you can Google some videos:
https://www.eggcartons.com/blogs/news/pinless-peepers
 
Tookie said:
How many chickens do you have? How big is your coop and run?
What's their diet?
How did you go about introducing the new one?
So they've been peaceful with each other for the last two months up until now?

I don't think a rooster is going to help. He could just make it worse.
Click to expand...
Our coop has at least 80 feet of space.
We have four hens
We introduced the new one by keeping her in a wire cage inside of the coop where she could be seen for at least three weeks, then we opened the door. They eat Producers Pride layer pellets, plus some treats. Ever sense August, one of them started ripping another’s feathers out. She can’t eBen fly anymore, but she isn’t the new one. One was mean to another one, but now all of them are also attacking the new one too. I had heard that a rooster can break up hen fights, so I was just wondering if it would work
 
Eggcessive said:
If you have plenty of room, and they are receiving a balanced chicken feed, you might watch who is the main bully. Then try some pinless peepers on the bully.Those allow them to see well enough to eat, drink, and get around, but makes it hard to target and peck another chicken. Here is where to read about them, and you can Google some videos:
https://www.eggcartons.com/blogs/news/pinless-peepers
Click to expand...
I keep hearing about them, does anyone have experience with them?
 
SnowHugs said:
Our coop has at least 80 feet of space.
We have four hens
We introduced the new one by keeping her in a wire cage inside of the coop where she could be seen for at least three weeks, then we opened the door. They eat Producers Pride layer pellets, plus some treats. Ever sense August, one of them started ripping another’s feathers out. She can’t eBen fly anymore, but she isn’t the new one. One was mean to another one, but now all of them are also attacking the new one too. I had heard that a rooster can break up hen fights, so I was just wondering if it would work
Click to expand...
I think pinless peepers would be a good idea, as I'm not sure why they're being mean. Nothing sounds like it would cause that behavior.
 

Similar threads

S
Mating saddle problem -
Replies
2
Views
167
SSH
S
N
Molting or pecking injury?
Replies
2
Views
796
Papaye
Papaye
B
ISA Hen sick?
Replies
7
Views
242
Briannafaith
B
A
Rooster causing strange feather loss (not by mounting) >:(
Replies
3
Views
650
arihen
A
C
Liquid coming out of hens mouth when she bends down to eat
Replies
3
Views
859
orelsi
orelsi

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom