Why are they so mean?!

[JMPE]

I have five girls who are a year old. I have one EE, Ester, who has always been at the bottom of the pecking order. In the last week, I have seen my two bossiest girls, Alice a red sex-link and Charlotte a SLW, gang up on her several times.

Alice mounts Ester and holds her down while Charlotte pecks at her. I startle them whenever I catch them, and so far, there is no visible damage. I'm just afraid I will walk out to a grizzly scene one of these days. Any advice?

 

[chicmom]

You could give one of the bullies a time out, which means, putting them in a separate cage, or a cage in the coop for about a week. (With food and water of course.) This sometimes knocks 'em down a bit on the pecking order if they're separated.

 

[mtnhomechick]

I have somwhere around 65 hens...........I don't like Roosters. Been doing this for several years now. I have always had a few rsl that think they're roo's. Mounting and such. Not mean just roo like behavior. I think when you have all hens this happens. I've just accepted it as crazy chicken behavior. I love the rsl because they are so affectionate to us humans.......but they are not always kind to the other girls. They lay great big eggs too!!!

 

[math ace]

PERSONALLY, I do not tolerate bullies in my flock.

First, I check to make sure there isn't a reason for the nastiness. For example, do the girls have PLENTY of room ? ? Does the picked on one have places to hide and get away from the others ? ? ? Are there a couple of feeders and waterers out ? ? ?
You may only need one feeder and one water, BUT if some hen has declared it her territory, then a second feeder / waterer provides a place for the lower place hens to still eat without dealing with the confrontation.

So, you have two girls that are nasty . . . If they were mine, I would get rid of them and get two - three new ones. The two girls may go to a new home with a new batch of hens and find themselves in a whole new pecking order. My EE use to be on the bottom. I got rid of two hens that were always picking on her. I brought in two new pullets - -- a little younger than the rest of the flock. Those two are on the bottom now - - - -but nobody picks on anybody.

I have a good flock now where everyone gets along just great. I have 16 birds together and they are in three different age groups. I believe in bringing in at least three birds at a time. The new ones kinda co-exist with the existing groups. Sometimes, they sleep in different places and hang out with their own groups, but everybody plays nice.

 

[CubRed]

cull the bull...

 

[JMPE]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[blaundee]

Quote:
Good advice. I too dont tolerate bullying in any of my animals.