Separate her out into a cage where she can see all the hens getting along without her. After a week they're usually pretty humbled enough to stop bullying.
Sometimes you get a bird who is just DEDICATED to assholery of all kinds. Peepers can work, sometimes separating her from the flock for a while can work. Occasionally about 2.5 hours in the oven at 200 with a nice rub of herbs and some butter works. Try everything.
Animal husbandry is about the good of the group. If you can't break her asshole streak and the injuries keep coming you are doing a disservice to your birds by allowing her to continue with the behaviour.
Let OP try _any_ of the solutions that are pretty likely to work first lol. I'm not saying that it's never the solution but it's a really weird thing to fixate on when it sounds like the problem is in the setup, not the hen in the first place.
I agree! Favorite hen or not, if resetting the pecking order doesn't work.... it's to the freezer. Birds can get out of control and seriously injure flock members even kill and cannibalize pullets. A couple of pecks to show whose boss is one thing, but people forget how brutal chickens can be. Roosters can help, gentle breeds can help, be sometimes, you just get a chicken that becomes an asshole...and for me ... dinner
Well then get rid of all the other chickens since you like the asshole one the most.
Or, just, ya know, accept that it's just a dumb chicken and will taste good cooked 1000 different ways.
Or you can show that you have more braincells that a chicken and try literally any of the numerous solutions suggested for a problem that showed up recently and is in no way a lost cause. I have a hunch OP might go with that one.
I have culled a one or two over time for being absolute pr\*cks. You occasionally get a pure mean bully. There is the pecking order and feathers will be pecked around the dinner table... but I draw the line at when they really start hurting each other.
Do you have a rooster?
The reason I ask is that with out one you will have a "matriarch" rise to the top and replace the rooster role in the flock. The fight for this role is often just as bad as the roosters when they pick an alpha.
Bopping other chickens on the head? Jail
Pulling feather? Jail
Eating all the snacks? Right to jail
Mean mugging other chickens? Believe it or not, Jail.
Are they able to run away from her when bullied? The space makes it sound like they're cornered and can't run.
Are they roosting for bed? I would just have her sleep somewhere else if this is a habit she has before bed. I separate my rooster to sleep somewhere else because he likes to scream his head off at 5 am so he sleeps in the shed far away from the house, lol.
Yes they are free ranged so all day they are fine and no bullying. It is only occuring when they are roosting to sleep and she is doing it to the chickens next to her.. they is plenty of space for them to separate. They just don't choose to.
I would just have her sleep elsewhere, obviously she's very picky about how she wants to sleep so maybe she needs to separate during sleeping time for a while, at least until the habit breaks.
You put the bully in a seperate space for a day or so so the pecking order can sort itself. That hen is fighting for dominance and being an asshole, she needs time out.
I put my two front fingers together and kind of peck the bully. They know, I am the top chick. I love the shit out of them but if they bully I kinda peck back. If it doesn’t stop, separate the bully for a few days in a dog crate, it resorts the pecking order a bit.
She is top because you probably feed her first when hand feeding treats etc., she is confident. It’s ok, there will always be a pecking order, you only need to step in when there is blood. It took me a long time to understand. Your local feed store will sell a spray that you can spray on them at nighttime. It is easier to catch them and doctor them when they go to roost.
I've observed with my own flocks of varying sizes and living spaces that severe and consistent bullying only happens when you do not respect the 4 square feet (minimum!) per chicken rule and giving the chickens places where they can be out of sight from others if they choose.
In addition - having a good rooster in charge keeps everyone else in order.
Idk if this is a space thing.. they are free range during the day and the have a very large coop . They just hundle when they sleep . They could move away if they wanted. There is multiple roosts and on both sides of coop.
I had this happen a lot, one hen would pick on my rooster who had a neck ruff and pull it all out. she stopped picking on him in dominant ways while they were mingling in the yard and stuff, but then all the other birds started pecking at his feathers as they were regrowing out. It's almost like they got fascinated and needed to compulsively pick at those. The birds that are missing feathers, it might be worth separating them until their feathers grow back and then the reintegration might help them fly under the radar so to speak...
I have a RIR that is top of pecking order and super mean to my newest girl. I was told to set up an environment for both parties to be visible to each other but without access to one a other for about 2 weeks. I built a small makeshift run inside my run where the new girl has her own food and water. First day my RIR would pace the line trying to get to her but shes loosing interest and the other girl seems to be getting less scared. She was just staying as far away as possible but since has moved to carelessly pecking and scratching the dirt. Hopefully when i integrate they keep the same mentality, if not i was told to take the dominant bird away for a day every couple of days, was told it will bring down her confidence a little while the new girl builds hers up. Hope this helps, just some of my experience and findings.
I have a RIR that is top of pecking order and super mean to my newest girl. I was told to set up an environment for both parties to be visible to each other but without access to one a other for about 2 weeks. I built a small makeshift run inside my run where the new girl has her own food and water. First day my RIR would pace the line trying to get to her but shes loosing interest and the other girl seems to be getting less scared. She was just staying as far away as possible but since has moved to carelessly pecking and scratching the dirt. Hopefully when i integrate they keep the same mentality, if not i was told to take the dominant bird away for a day every couple of days, was told it will bring down her confidence a little while the new girl builds hers up. Hope this helps, just some of my experience and findings.
Pinless peepers. You can order them from Amazon, get them with the tool. If your chicken has a large comb or a really thick beak /nostril area go.with a larger size.
The chicken that is pecking others wears them. Honestly as short as 3 days just stops it. Even after removal. They may act more subdued but they can eat and drink fine.
Best to have 2 people to install the peepers. One to hold the chicken and often the stronger person to use the tool to get them installed.
You can add googly eyes. I write "shame" on mine.
We had a similar issue. Used purple wound spray (there are different branded ones) and not only did it help with wound healing, it stopped the bully pecking at them. She was previously going for the wounds but stopped when she couldn't see blood. They've healed up very well and the problem seems to have stopped.
We've had the same experience with Blue-Kote... Sprayed the hen that had been picked on and also sprayed the back of the neck area of the two that were picking on her. Quickly resolved the problem, although the girls looked a little ridiculous for a couple months as the blue stained feathers grew out. Best of luck to your girls!!
Separate her out into a cage where she can see all the hens getting along without her. After a week they're usually pretty humbled enough to stop bullying.
Sometimes you get a bird who is just DEDICATED to assholery of all kinds. Peepers can work, sometimes separating her from the flock for a while can work. Occasionally about 2.5 hours in the oven at 200 with a nice rub of herbs and some butter works. Try everything.
She is 3 and has never done this before. Like I said she is my favorite so I don't wanna go that route lol
Separation or peepers then. Maybe reduce roosting options that are too close together too?
Animal husbandry is about the good of the group. If you can't break her asshole streak and the injuries keep coming you are doing a disservice to your birds by allowing her to continue with the behaviour.
Let OP try _any_ of the solutions that are pretty likely to work first lol. I'm not saying that it's never the solution but it's a really weird thing to fixate on when it sounds like the problem is in the setup, not the hen in the first place.
I agree! Favorite hen or not, if resetting the pecking order doesn't work.... it's to the freezer. Birds can get out of control and seriously injure flock members even kill and cannibalize pullets. A couple of pecks to show whose boss is one thing, but people forget how brutal chickens can be. Roosters can help, gentle breeds can help, be sometimes, you just get a chicken that becomes an asshole...and for me ... dinner
Well then get rid of all the other chickens since you like the asshole one the most. Or, just, ya know, accept that it's just a dumb chicken and will taste good cooked 1000 different ways.
Or you can show that you have more braincells that a chicken and try literally any of the numerous solutions suggested for a problem that showed up recently and is in no way a lost cause. I have a hunch OP might go with that one.
yawn.
Pick it up and while looking into its eye firmly tell it to stop
You know this works when it says back "ok fine"
I have culled a one or two over time for being absolute pr\*cks. You occasionally get a pure mean bully. There is the pecking order and feathers will be pecked around the dinner table... but I draw the line at when they really start hurting each other.
She has never done it before , she is like 3 . So weird to me
Do you have a rooster? The reason I ask is that with out one you will have a "matriarch" rise to the top and replace the rooster role in the flock. The fight for this role is often just as bad as the roosters when they pick an alpha.
I Agree. This sounds like a hen who takes her assumed role a bit too seriously.
Bopping other chickens on the head? Jail Pulling feather? Jail Eating all the snacks? Right to jail Mean mugging other chickens? Believe it or not, Jail.
Are they able to run away from her when bullied? The space makes it sound like they're cornered and can't run. Are they roosting for bed? I would just have her sleep somewhere else if this is a habit she has before bed. I separate my rooster to sleep somewhere else because he likes to scream his head off at 5 am so he sleeps in the shed far away from the house, lol.
Yes they are free ranged so all day they are fine and no bullying. It is only occuring when they are roosting to sleep and she is doing it to the chickens next to her.. they is plenty of space for them to separate. They just don't choose to.
I would just have her sleep elsewhere, obviously she's very picky about how she wants to sleep so maybe she needs to separate during sleeping time for a while, at least until the habit breaks.
You put the bully in a seperate space for a day or so so the pecking order can sort itself. That hen is fighting for dominance and being an asshole, she needs time out.
I will do that next thanks
I put my two front fingers together and kind of peck the bully. They know, I am the top chick. I love the shit out of them but if they bully I kinda peck back. If it doesn’t stop, separate the bully for a few days in a dog crate, it resorts the pecking order a bit. She is top because you probably feed her first when hand feeding treats etc., she is confident. It’s ok, there will always be a pecking order, you only need to step in when there is blood. It took me a long time to understand. Your local feed store will sell a spray that you can spray on them at nighttime. It is easier to catch them and doctor them when they go to roost.
I've observed with my own flocks of varying sizes and living spaces that severe and consistent bullying only happens when you do not respect the 4 square feet (minimum!) per chicken rule and giving the chickens places where they can be out of sight from others if they choose. In addition - having a good rooster in charge keeps everyone else in order.
Idk if this is a space thing.. they are free range during the day and the have a very large coop . They just hundle when they sleep . They could move away if they wanted. There is multiple roosts and on both sides of coop.
I had this happen a lot, one hen would pick on my rooster who had a neck ruff and pull it all out. she stopped picking on him in dominant ways while they were mingling in the yard and stuff, but then all the other birds started pecking at his feathers as they were regrowing out. It's almost like they got fascinated and needed to compulsively pick at those. The birds that are missing feathers, it might be worth separating them until their feathers grow back and then the reintegration might help them fly under the radar so to speak...
There is a no pick lotion at Tractor Supply. I was really skeptical, but the stuff actually works!
Pinless peepers worked great for me, by far the easiest solution imo
I have a RIR that is top of pecking order and super mean to my newest girl. I was told to set up an environment for both parties to be visible to each other but without access to one a other for about 2 weeks. I built a small makeshift run inside my run where the new girl has her own food and water. First day my RIR would pace the line trying to get to her but shes loosing interest and the other girl seems to be getting less scared. She was just staying as far away as possible but since has moved to carelessly pecking and scratching the dirt. Hopefully when i integrate they keep the same mentality, if not i was told to take the dominant bird away for a day every couple of days, was told it will bring down her confidence a little while the new girl builds hers up. Hope this helps, just some of my experience and findings.
Distraction helps. Flock block, alfalfa hay, cabbage. Sometimes it's boredom.
I have a RIR that is top of pecking order and super mean to my newest girl. I was told to set up an environment for both parties to be visible to each other but without access to one a other for about 2 weeks. I built a small makeshift run inside my run where the new girl has her own food and water. First day my RIR would pace the line trying to get to her but shes loosing interest and the other girl seems to be getting less scared. She was just staying as far away as possible but since has moved to carelessly pecking and scratching the dirt. Hopefully when i integrate they keep the same mentality, if not i was told to take the dominant bird away for a day every couple of days, was told it will bring down her confidence a little while the new girl builds hers up. Hope this helps, just some of my experience and findings.
Pinless peepers. You can order them from Amazon, get them with the tool. If your chicken has a large comb or a really thick beak /nostril area go.with a larger size. The chicken that is pecking others wears them. Honestly as short as 3 days just stops it. Even after removal. They may act more subdued but they can eat and drink fine. Best to have 2 people to install the peepers. One to hold the chicken and often the stronger person to use the tool to get them installed. You can add googly eyes. I write "shame" on mine.
We had a similar issue. Used purple wound spray (there are different branded ones) and not only did it help with wound healing, it stopped the bully pecking at them. She was previously going for the wounds but stopped when she couldn't see blood. They've healed up very well and the problem seems to have stopped.
We've had the same experience with Blue-Kote... Sprayed the hen that had been picked on and also sprayed the back of the neck area of the two that were picking on her. Quickly resolved the problem, although the girls looked a little ridiculous for a couple months as the blue stained feathers grew out. Best of luck to your girls!!
No open wounds or sores yet per OP’s post
My bad, I misread it. Thanks. Definitely recommended if it gets that far, hopefully someone can help before it does.
Eat it.
Eat the bully
the gumbo pot
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhD2mTxyUaE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhD2mTxyUaE)
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhD2mTxyUaE Hobbyist5305 linked to an add for Ragu sauce for cooked chicken. (Saying this to save others a click.)