What to do with outcast chicken?

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would try and Put the bullys in jail for a week, seperate from each othe and the flock. When they come back they will be the newbies and have to re set pecking order. Good luck

Gary

 

[ChiefSuperFly]

I'm curious if you removed the bully to reset the pecking order would the bully climb back to the top or is it possible they will fall inline and start behaving?

That's why I was wondering about pulling the bully out instead of your poor Cochin.

 

[sawilliams]

I'm curious if you removed the bully to reset the pecking order would the bully climb back to the top or is it possible they will fall inline and start behaving?

That's why I was wondering about pulling the bully out instead of your poor Cochin.

Sometimes, the hippie would be the bully moves down the ranks and apps it's bad behavior, but then sometimes they just won't stop

 

[JudysMuscovy]

I am having the same issue with a smaller bantam hen I am not sure of her mix but Everytime she comes out the other hens which are red sexlink attack her and cause blood on her comb, I separated her where they can all see each other. She hatched out two chicks for me so she now has them to take care of , she did get in with them again when I opened the gate and they attacked her again. I had thought about getting rid of her to someone that has bantams but I think I will just keep her separated

 

[Sassysouth]

I had 4 hens and they had been together since babies. 3 were ganging up on 1, so I ended up getting rid of the 3 bullies and starting over with a different type of chicks. I think it all depends on your goals. Someone asked my goals and that helped me make the decision of what I wanted to do.

 

[RedDrgn]

I'm curious if you removed the bully to reset the pecking order would the bully climb back to the top or is it possible they will fall inline and start behaving?

That's why I was wondering about pulling the bully out instead of your poor Cochin.

In my XP, resetting the pecking order is a lot tougher than just removing some flock members for a week. We had a BR that relentless whooped two of our other hens, and removing and isolating her for a week made NO difference after two attempts. We'd put her back and she'd go right back to doing what she had been. We tried two weeks out and when we put her back it took her all of 48 hours to resume her bullying.

As @Sassysouth said, evaluate your goals, which is what we did at that point and determined we really did want to keep the BR, so then we isolated her (in a large dog crate with her own food and water) among the flock for about 2 weeks. We got lucky, and problem was solved and we've had no further issues.

 

[JudysMuscovy]

I my experience some chickens are just bossy. I have Australorps hens that can be pretty bossy, I think it's just their nature to want to be top hen, or top Roosters. Sometimes it just takes time and they all can blend.

 

[citychknraising]

Thanks for the advice everyone. @Sassysouth Your situation sounds exactly like mine - What I want is just a peaceful flock so it looks like I will probably be finding a new home for the bully #1 and perhaps bully #2 if she keeps it up after bully #1 is gone. They will probably remain bullies (even if I put them in jail for a while) if they're this bad towards my cochin and her chick.... think they'd do well at a home with a rooster to keep them in check. Tried to let them all in the same run again today and my cochin got pinned down and pecked until I rescued her. Poor girl.

 

[Sassysouth]

Sesame (the one I kept) was scared to death of the other 3. It was like she had PTSD. It was really sad. I know she has been broody before, but she just stares at the new chicks. She has no clue what they are, so the babies are secure and away from her.
The day I gave my 3 away, a friend needed me to take his 2 chickens and Sesame was scared to death of them. I found them a home 4 days later because Sesame was so stressed and scared.

 

[aart]

Thanks for the advice everyone. @Sassysouth Your situation sounds exactly like mine - What I want is just a peaceful flock so it looks like I will probably be finding a new home for the bully #1 and perhaps bully #2 if she keeps it up after bully #1 is gone. They will probably remain bullies (even if I put them in jail for a while) if they're this bad towards my cochin and her chick.... think they'd do well at a home with a rooster to keep them in check. Tried to let them all in the same run again today and my cochin got pinned down and pecked until I rescued her. Poor girl.

How big is the run you are introducing them in?
Space is of the utmost importance, especially during an integration.
The peckee needs to be able to get away(like 5-10 feet away) from the pecker,
otherwise the pecker thinks the peckee is just being insubordinate and will continue and/or escalate the attack.

Doing some chicken juggling might help since you have 2 enclosures right next to each other.Put the pecker in one place and the peckee in with the rest of the flock. Switch it up, changing who is with whom and where, messes up the territoriality.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.