WW3 about to start......

[SW31]

We had a happy little flock of 4 hens, they lived in a hen house attached to a fully enclosed walk in run inside a larger area protected by an electric fence. Then in January two were badly injured, dog attack, and have been recovering inside the house in a small 2 metre run in the hall. The other 2 hens continued living in the garden.

Today we put the run from the hall back into the garden and put the two hens who had been living in it back into the same run. So for them it was same home but now in the garden.

Gardenbased birds had to be locked in the enclosed walk in run while we were setting up the second run. They were screaming blue murder all the time. We put down plenty of food treats for both groups but garden birds weren’t very interested in it.

All hell has started. The two garden based hens have viciously attacked the two hens in the smaller run, I’m sure I’ve spotted blood on the top of one hens head. They are truly scared. After two months they don’t recognise each other. Each was trying to attack each other. I had to put the two garden based hens back inside the enclosed walk in run to break it up. Tomorrow I plan to keep the garden based hens inside the enclosed walk in run and let the other two, in the smaller run, have access to the larger area.

The small hen living in the hall was at the bottom of the pecking order before but has put on weight and became Angry Bird so now fights back. She was a nightmare in the hall as she got better, and was spoilt. They can get their beaks through the grill so keep attacking each other’s beak.

It’s so frustrating after all the care we’ve given the injured birds to witness such aggression and stress. To make matters worse I must visit elderly parent in the uk next week leaving OH to have to deal with this.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You should never completely separate out any chicken. Always keep it within sight of the other birds. By removing birds you have altered the pecking order, and now it will have to be reestablished which could end up with bloody or injured birds. Best to pen them side by side for a few days to weeks first before trying to mingle them again.

Once you understand chicken behaviors and the purpose and need of a hierarchy it is easier to keep them. No one is mean, it's all instinct, and is the way of the chicken.

Take your time, and don't rush the integration process.

 

[SW31]

Thank you. I’m keeping them separate and will put some pallets around the smaller run so that the garden based hens can’t get too close to the run to physically attack the other hens. I think the garden birds see all the enclosed run areas as their territory as the two of them have had it to themselves for the last two months.

The weather on Friday afternoon looks fairly good here. Would it help if we let all four birds free range together under our close supervision as they would be on neutral territory.

 

[aart]

The weather on Friday afternoon looks fairly good here. Would it help if we let all four birds free range together under our close supervision as they would be on neutral territory.

Give it a try.

Those 2 injured are now 'strangers' to the other 2.
Birds don't like 'strange' birds nor do they like change(changing where they are housed).

OHLD covered how to proceed.