Bullied Hen

[Jkbaca]

In my 20 years of chicken keeping, I have never had this happen.

I integrate adult chickens all the time. I ended up with a cute little Sussex named Pebbles from a friend whose whole flock except for Pebbles got killed by a bobcat. I did a quarantine for a month and kept her in an isolation pen in the run for another month before trying to free range them together. It did not go well. My hens bullied the heck out of her. I found the worst bully and put her in the isolation pen, but then other hens started picking on Pebbles, too. Pebbles has been hiding in a nest box and has lost a lot of weight because of their bullying. So now Pebbles is back in the isolation pen.

I have just a couple of options. Obviously I could rehome her, but she doesn't lay anymore, so I'm thinking no one will take her. I recently ended up with just one turkey poult. I'm wondering if I could maybe have them be friends? Or is there some other way to help her fit in with my flock? I have 26 chickens and 2 roosters. They live with my 8 ducks and 2 geese.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would keep her penned separately for a long while, but where she can be seen. It can take months for chickens to forget a bird is a stranger. It's also better to wait past spring. Once we hit the summer solstice hormones will start to calm down.

 

[Jkbaca]

I would keep her penned separately for a long while, but where she can be seen. It can take months for chickens to forget a bird is a stranger. It's also better to wait past spring. Once we hit the summer solstice hormones will start to calm down.

Good advice. Thanks! I can do that pretty easily.

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

Gosh, there appear to be a rash of posts on bullying all of the sudden... So sorry to hear this. I can't see your location, but if you are near Alabama, I could take her. I don't care if hens stop laying, they deserve the peace and quiet of retirement and no longer having to birth eggs - having birthed a human, I'm very happy to be in retirement from that activity! In the meantime, I would put pinless peepers on the offenders immediately. This will settle things down right away. The wearers can still do everything they are used to, but it interrupts the pecking. They need to be able to see directly in front of them to be enticed to peck. I have had much experience with peepers for both hens and Coturnix quail (for them, I cut the peepers to size). Once on, the pecking stops immediately and you will see the victim(s) breathing an instant sigh of relief. The victim will gain confidence and very likely rise in the ranks. After a week or so, try taking the peepers off. For me that is normally plenty of time for things to settle, but if not, back on they go!

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

In my 20 years of chicken keeping, I have never had this happen.

I integrate adult chickens all the time. I ended up with a cute little Sussex named Pebbles from a friend whose whole flock except for Pebbles got killed by a bobcat. I did a quarantine for a month and kept her in an isolation pen in the run for another month before trying to free range them together. It did not go well. My hens bullied the heck out of her. I found the worst bully and put her in the isolation pen, but then other hens started picking on Pebbles, too. Pebbles has been hiding in a nest box and has lost a lot of weight because of their bullying. So now Pebbles is back in the isolation pen.

I have just a couple of options. Obviously I could rehome her, but she doesn't lay anymore, so I'm thinking no one will take her. I recently ended up with just one turkey poult. I'm wondering if I could maybe have them be friends? Or is there some other way to help her fit in with my flock? I have 26 chickens and 2 roosters. They live with my 8 ducks and 2 geese.

I meant to add that poor Pebbles has certainly endured quite a run of extreme trauma lately. I cannot imagine being witness to the bobcat slaughter. That is just terrible. And then to be rehomed, away from the peeps who were her family. And now the bullying. Thank you so much for trying to help her find safety and comfort again.