Sorry, not horsey, advice needed with hens

ROMANY 1959

ROMANY 1959

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Hi people, am sure there are lots on here who keep chickens, well one of our 3 marens has started being very nasty to our little new england red, they were all bought together, 3marens, new eng red and a light Sussex. But this one is being mean to red hen, so after two days this red hen is hiding all the time,the Sussex is with her too, I have separated the bolshy maren yesterday, and plan to put her back in the hen house tonight at dark, do you think this will work, ? Or are we having chicken for Sunday lunch,,!! The breeder just told me to let them sort it out but the hen was being so nasty and the fighting was vile to see
They have 12x12pen and house with 8foot of perches for just 5. Hens who are all 18. To 20 weeks old
 
Leave them too it, it called ' pecking order' for a reason. If you're feeling kind you could put a couple of perches so the more timid hens can get up out of the way. They will settle, I expect the 'boss' hen is at the old owners and they just have to sort out a new one.
 
Is she drawing blood on the others? If so use purple spray on the wounds and it hides the red which is what attracts the pecking. I read somewhere that if you remove the bully for a couple of days then reintroduce she will have lost the top spot. Don't know if it works mind!
 
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Chickens are nasty when they are sorting the pecking order, very upsetting. Putting them together at night is a recognised way of doing things.

Any red/bleeding peck marks should be sprayed with purple spray as the bully will keep going for red.

Good luck.
 
Hi - agree with above comments... They will sort it out but it isn't nice to watch and quite upsetting :( In my experience it can take a week for them to get used to each other and each accept their place. I almost got rid of our old hen when we got our new ones as she was pretty vile when we introduced them at first - but they soon got used to each other and she mixed fine with them in the end. She recently passed but in the last week or so she was very doddery and two of the new ones were flanking her and getting in the nest box with her - so sweet! Hard to think she looked like she wanted to kill them when they first met!!! Good luck!
 
when my cockeral was attacking me and my gsd, a regular visitor to the runs, at least twice a day, I was advised to dunk the cockeral in a bucket of water, as it was supposed to show them whose boss, I re homed him instead
 
We set up a 'henitentiary' for daphne or moody hen a few days doing bird and she was fine with the others after x

Sorry for any crap puns!
 
In sorting out the pecking order some aggro is to be expected. By aggro i mean occasional chasing, pecking to let the other bird know it's in the way/space that the higher rank bird wants, the odd face off where 2 birds will raise their neck feathers and fly at each other a bit like fighting cocks...with ours these have only happened a couple of times and is all over in about 30 seconds with no damage to either bird. Also seen with ours a bit of staring each other out till one backs off.

But we find that if the bully is being OTT or constantly hounding a particular bird, separate the bully from the rest for a 3-4 days. This gives the others time to establish a new order and the bully will be bottom when reintroduced to the flock (at dusk or in the dark is best).

Treat any wounds with purple spray as others suggest.

Good luck with em
 
Thanks, have separated bully, in large dog crate still in sight if pen, with old horse rug on top half for shade, will leave her there for few days and then re introduce fri night, if no better breeder said she will take back and give me one a little more ameniable , little brown hen was really depressed but since I separated she is ok .no blood drawn just hard pecking and lots of feathers flying.!
 
ROMANY 1959 said:
Thanks, have separated bully, in large dog crate still in sight if pen, with old horse rug on top half for shade, will leave her there for few days and then re introduce fri night, if no better breeder said she will take back and give me one a little more ameniable , little brown hen was really depressed but since I separated she is ok .no blood drawn just hard pecking and lots of feathers flying.!
Click to expand...

Really glad to read this.

My in laws have had to separate hens before now due to one in particular being picked on to the point of loosing an eye.

There's pecking order - and there's simple nastiness......
 
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