I have a small flock, 1 Buff O, 1 Barr Rock, 2 RIR and 1 Black Astraulorp. The Buff & BR were 8 weeks old and the 2 RIRs were 5 weeks old when I brought them all home and put them together. The BO and BR took the 2 RIR under their wings and mothered them and all was good. At about 22 weeks the BO went broody and became a PMS problem and the two RIR turned on her. I tried to "break" her brood with no success and instead opted to get her some fertilized eggs to lay on since I don't have a rooster. Only one egg hatched, the the Black Astraulorp. The 2 RIRs aliented the BO and her chick and I had to keep them separated. The BR is neutral and doesn't care much either way, but groups more with the RIRs without being dominate to the BO and her baby. Now the baby is 3 months old and the RIR's still pick on mom and baby and keep them from eating and won't let them in the main coop. The BO is the sweetest chicken you ever want to meet and it breaks my heart to see her picked on by the wicked RIRs. My plan is to see if I can trade the two RIRs for two more BO. Do you think this will work or will the mom and baby always be picked on by others? It's killing me seeing my sweet Goldy pecked and harassed by the Reds she mothered when they needed a mom. Help needed in CO! Thanks, Karen P.S.: My other option is to eat the RIRs!!!
If you boot the dominate RIR the other one may calm down with her partner in crime gone. That might put the other RIR & BO on equal footing. You can reintroduce her back after the chick grows up. Or remove the BO and her chick and reintroduce them after the chick grows up. That's why I don't mix chicks with adult chickens, too much drama. Other people have other methods of dealing with problem chickens. If it's gonna cause drama & stress in my flock I let Mr. Hatchet solve it.
Thank you ChickenLegs13! Those were along the lines of what I was thinking, but I didn't know if it would work. I'll move the RIRs to the side of the pen with the dog house and block them in there and let the other three take over the coop. I'm hoping it works, because I'm not the best with a hatchet!
