Bully Hen

[ltg23]

I have a bully. I watched her several times following and chasing my most docile hen. I picked up the victim hen and noticed her back had been picked! I’ve got her cleaned up and put some wound care on it and I have them separated right now. I just don’t know how to get the behavior to stop. She’s the only hen getting picked on, and there is only one clear aggressor. They are all about 8 weeks old, and we’re hatched and raised together. Photo of her back. Also a photo of my little flock. The blue arrow is the one getting picked on (she’s laying down and hard to see) the red arrow is the bully (she’s always running away and is the most skittish of them all)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What are you feeding them? That is unusual behavior for them at that age, especially that much. Generally picking is from a protein deficiency or from crowding.

 

[sniper338]

Protein difficiency or over crowded. If she's real bad kill her. Nothing wrong with culling bad birds. Those traits DO get passed on. It's part of growing and culling your flock to have great birds.. but you have to figure out why first.. if it's just a bad bully.. it's a no go.

 

[ltg23]

I’m feeding them Kalmbach Flock Maker. The coop has plenty of space. There is only the 5 of them in there and the coop is 8x5 and the run is 16x5. They were all in a brooder together and there was no weird behaviors then. We moved them to the coop about 2 weeks ago.

 

[ltg23]

Protein difficiency or over crowded. If she's real bad kill her. Nothing wrong with culling bad birds. Those traits DO get passed on. It's part of growing and culling your flock to have great birds.. but you have to figure out why first.. if it's just a bad bully.. it's a no go.

If it was one of those things wouldn’t the other 4 be acting up as well? Out of all of them she’s always been the most difficult and skittish.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I’m feeding them Kalmbach Flock Maker. The coop has plenty of space. There is only the 5 of them in there and the coop is 8x5 and the run is 16x5. They were all in a brooder together and there was no weird behaviors then. We moved them to the coop about 2 weeks ago.

You might want to separate out this particular bird, either temporarily or permanently before it starts to cannibalize the other.

 

[ltg23]

What are you feeding them? That is unusual behavior for them at that age, especially that much. Generally picking is from a protein deficiency or from crowding.

I just posted above what I’m feeding them. Im just having a hard time believing it’s either of those things. It’s just the 5 hens and they’re all the same age. I hate to say she’s just a bad bird, but I have no clue what else it could be.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I just posted above what I’m feeding them. Im just having a hard time believing it’s either of those things. It’s just the 5 hens and they’re all the same age. I hate to say she’s just a bad bird, but I have no clue what else it could be.

The feed and housing seem adequate. Sometimes one is just like that. Sometimes they grow out of it, but with the amount of damage I see on the other one I wouldn't waste time removing her. I'm not sure if she's big enough for peepers. I would definitely separate her for a bit at the very least.

 

[ltg23]

Here’s the coop for reference. You can see the other girls in the run. I have the mean bird separated in the coop for a minute till I get a pen for her. Once I separate her, do I attempt to reintroduce her one the other hen is healed? Or do I just try and rehome her?

 

[SkyAJK]

Here’s the coop for reference. You can see the other girls in the run. I have the mean bird separated in the coop for a minute till I get a pen for her. Once I separate her, do I attempt to reintroduce her one the other hen is healed? Or do I just try and rehome her?
View attachment 4031855

Such beautiful coop for just 5 hens, there is plenty of space. Y
You just have a bully. I have a bully in my flock, she is 2+ year of age. I separate her for a long while, she stopped, then as soon as I see her doing it again, I separate her again. I am still working through this.

Your flock still young so you might still be able to train them.