Worse attack on sultan hen

[HarrounHomestead]

Background: I live in Texas. Our original flock was 13. 7 roosters and 6 hens. We got rid of 6 roosters. Flock is 20 weeks old.

This is the second attack on this same sultan hen. The last attack was when we were a flock of 13. I had gone out to gather the one egg from our only laying hen this far. The sultan hen was under the ladder to get in the coop and she was moving out when I came out to the coop. As I was about 15 yards from the coop heading back to the house, I heard a hen screaming. I headed back to find the sultan hen wedged in between a couple decent sized rocks and the rooster pecking her head. I brought her up to the house and she seems pretty groggy. The pictures look like this may have been going on for hours as she doesn't have much back of the head feathers left. I brought her inside for now to isolate her. Wondering what would be the recommended course of action.

Thanks,
Frank

 

[Mrs. K]

Ugh! What other kind of birds do you have? And how much space, and how is that space set up? Post some pictures of that.

Chickens are not like other pets. Being raised together really has almost no influence on them. And birds that have been getting along, can all of a sudden not get along. That is just how they are. Keepers have to do something. Problems often show up in a new flock when they come of age. At that time, they are full size, and what was enough room when they were chicks, is not enough room for the number and size of the birds.

What you can do:

• If the rooster is getting along well with the other pullets, keep him, and remove the victim - either to someone else, cull the bird, or to a different enclosure. Count your birds, this might be what really fits in that set up.
• If the rooster is roughing up several of the pullets, which is quite common at his and their age - separate him and wait. Sometimes a little time alone, lets the pullets grow into laying, and then he does better with them.
• Add clutter to the run, adding escapes, hideouts, roosts, lets birds get away from each other.
• Sometimes, you just get a bird that does not fit with the flock. Especially if they are different. Some people can get full size birds and bantam birds to get along, but a lot of flocks do not.

Always solve for peace in the flock. Right now, in my own flock, as an experienced chicken keeper, I have a bird that my rooster despises. I have to feed her separately, and keep her out of the flock a lot of the time. She has been in the flock for 3 years, he has been there a year, and now out of no where, he hates her. She was already on my cull list, but I think he will also be out as I reduce my flock for the winter.

That's keeping chickens, adding and subtracting to keep a healthy and harmonious flock.

Mrs K

 

[HarrounHomestead]

Easter eggers and silkies (2). The 3 white birds tend to hang together and the 4 others hang together. The run is 10' x 12', but I let them free range all day. With the Texas heat, they tend to gather under the coop around or on the rocks for shade. The coop is supposed to house 10-12 chickens. The white ones are near the front roost bar at night and the other 4 on the middle and far roost bar and top shelf.

We don't have any other structures. Right now, I brought the victim inside in a feeding trough that we raised the chicks in for now. She is doing better. She is eating and drinking.

Thanks again,
Frank

 

[Mrs. K]

In one picture I am thinking your coop looks to be 2 x 4 feet, but in the next I think it might be 3 x 6, which is 18 square feet - so if you go by the rule of thumb 4 sq feet per bird - about 4.5 birds. People tend to think you can cheat on the size of the coop with free- ranging, but it doesn't work like that. I know those pre fab coops say they can hold a lot more birds, than they really can.

Rule of thumb - are just that, except you are having problems. So I think that your set up is too small for 7 birds. It is pretty common for this to work until they get to be full sized. Then people come here with ugly behaviors.

The thing is, when you go to add that victim back into the flock, she is more than likely going to be attacked again. Once they leave they are stranger danger. You could put her (is there any possibility this is a rooster?) in a small cage in the run, but you must be sure she does not get left without shade. This will let her 'be with the flock' while not being attacked by the flock.

In the run, if you shut the gate, do you see how your run is basically 2 dimensional - flat. Other than the coop, there is no use of the vertical space in there. I would add a mini wall with a feeder on each side - so birds can't see who is eating at the other feeder. Add a roosting bar in the kitty corner, and a pallet up on cinder blocks. Makes the run more interesting

But really, I think I would decide if I wanted the white ones or the big ones, and sell the other ones. But that is just me, I prefer full size birds. But if you don't reduce the flock, IMO this will get worse, not better.

Mrs K