TheFugitivePen
Songster
I've posted about this hen before here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/does-separation-help-with-bullying.1555989/#post-26344480.
Midge is one of our 8-month-old pullets who is towards the top of the pecking order. She's very pushy around food, but out in the run or free-ranging, doesn't seem terribly aggressive.
But she HATES other hens in the nest boxes. Like HATES IT. And she doesn't seem broody--she leaves the nest without and issue and isn't protective over the eggs, but NO OTHER CHICKEN BETTER BE IN ANY OF THE BOXES WHEN SHE WANTS TO LAY.
She will crawl out of her box of choice and climb into another occupied nest box to peck the other hen until she runs away. She once attacked my favorite pullet so badly that she pulled a portion of the sweet thing's comb off clean off her scalp. The detached bit eventually fell off completely. My prettiest little pullet now has a deformed comb because Midge wanted her out of the box.
We've isolated and re-introduced Midge to the flock three separate times in hopes that it would knock her down the pecking order. Like I said, out and about with the flock, she seems okay. Pushy, but not vicious, and she's very friendly with people. She doesn't peck people when she's in the nesting box, but she's ruthless with any other chicken trying to lay. This behavior continues despite the bouts of isolation.
Are physical fights over nesting boxes normal hen behavior?
I've seen them all yell at each other over occupied boxes, but Midge is the only one I've seen attack other chickens about boxes consistently. It doesn't matter if she's in one box and a new hen comes in and chooses a different box. Midge will go out of her way to peck or grab the hen until it bleeds and/or flees. She wants the WHOLE coop to herself when she's laying. I have a suspicion that the numerous pecked-comb spots I've seen among my flock are mostly Midge-inflicted over the nest boxes (I rarely see pecks when they're just out in run or the yard).
My husband is ready to cull her. He's of the opinion that "three strikes" puts chickens in the cooking pot.
Before I let him make her dinner, I want to make sure this isn't normal. I don't want to issue a death sentence for just doing what nature intended. BUT! If this is unusual behavior or oddly aggressive, I value a peaceful flock more than a sole chicken.
Thank you!
Midge is one of our 8-month-old pullets who is towards the top of the pecking order. She's very pushy around food, but out in the run or free-ranging, doesn't seem terribly aggressive.
But she HATES other hens in the nest boxes. Like HATES IT. And she doesn't seem broody--she leaves the nest without and issue and isn't protective over the eggs, but NO OTHER CHICKEN BETTER BE IN ANY OF THE BOXES WHEN SHE WANTS TO LAY.
She will crawl out of her box of choice and climb into another occupied nest box to peck the other hen until she runs away. She once attacked my favorite pullet so badly that she pulled a portion of the sweet thing's comb off clean off her scalp. The detached bit eventually fell off completely. My prettiest little pullet now has a deformed comb because Midge wanted her out of the box.
We've isolated and re-introduced Midge to the flock three separate times in hopes that it would knock her down the pecking order. Like I said, out and about with the flock, she seems okay. Pushy, but not vicious, and she's very friendly with people. She doesn't peck people when she's in the nesting box, but she's ruthless with any other chicken trying to lay. This behavior continues despite the bouts of isolation.
Are physical fights over nesting boxes normal hen behavior?
I've seen them all yell at each other over occupied boxes, but Midge is the only one I've seen attack other chickens about boxes consistently. It doesn't matter if she's in one box and a new hen comes in and chooses a different box. Midge will go out of her way to peck or grab the hen until it bleeds and/or flees. She wants the WHOLE coop to herself when she's laying. I have a suspicion that the numerous pecked-comb spots I've seen among my flock are mostly Midge-inflicted over the nest boxes (I rarely see pecks when they're just out in run or the yard).
My husband is ready to cull her. He's of the opinion that "three strikes" puts chickens in the cooking pot.
Before I let him make her dinner, I want to make sure this isn't normal. I don't want to issue a death sentence for just doing what nature intended. BUT! If this is unusual behavior or oddly aggressive, I value a peaceful flock more than a sole chicken.
Thank you!
