Pecking

[Jenyenen]

My neighbour had a solo chicken named Henny that I have fallen in love with after the passing of my Dad.
After noticing her pen was a little depressing- no safe night space, no dust bath or scrap pile- I have fast been learning about chickens and have begun sprucing her space, although I currently know very little about chickens.
Yesterday, my neighbour put two new chickens in the pen with her.
It rained over night and when I came to visit her this morning she was drenched.
This afternoon when I visited, she had visibly been pecked and at one point, was held down and pecked on the back of the head by one of the new chooks.
Henny is a rescue chook whose top beak has been chopped off.
Friends who have chooks have suggested a slow introduction and breaking up the two new chooks and have them spend time with Henny separately? When Henny was held down and pecked I intervened and picked her up. Is this something I should have done?
Any tips on how to curve pecking and aggression would he so appreciated.

 

[DobieLover]

Welcome to BYC! I so sorry for the loss of your father.

When Henny was held down and pecked I intervened and picked her up. Is this something I should have done?

Yes. This is definitely a situation that requires intervention.

Please post pictures of her enclosure. She does need friends and she does need a secure coop to roost in at night with protection from the elements.

A successful integration requires lots of time and lots of space. The 2 new birds should not have been just dumped in with her. I would make the enclosure 10'x10' or as larger if possible. I would also do whatever you can to get a roof over it to help keep the space dry. If you have some branches, an old wood chair or two, an old wood pallet leaning against the wall, wood chips, leaves or other dry organic matter for them to scratch around in with at least 2 feed stations and fresh clean water. That will help immensely.

What are the chances that she and her friends could get a secure coop to protect them from predators at night? Do they still belong to your neighbor?

 

[Jenyenen]

Thank you greatly for your reply and for your kind words re Dad.
She is still my neighbours, I just visit each day, particularly after noticing she was on her own with nothing really stimulating her.
I don’t have pictures but I can take some tomorrow. I would love more guidance when I add them.
The enclosure of quite large, I’d estimate 10x 7 approximately, and in an L shape.
Last week, I found a used dog house and elevated this in besser blocks with torn up newspaper in it.
There was an old book shelf in there and this afternoon, I nailed a bit of tin to it, kind of like a lean to, to prevent rain getting in.
I also added some crates elevated off the ground on a pallet with tin over top.
I added two tyres last week- one as a scratching pile and the other as a dust bath. I have been sprinkling things like oats, sunflower seeds etc into the scrap pile and dried herbs like rosemary into the dust bath.
The food appears to be thrown onto the ground- and this is both fruit and veg scraps and a seed mix.
The water was just a bucket which I felt was too tall for Henny to reach so I created a poly pipe type drinking station.
I’ve added some branches and poles about 1m off the ground for them to roost on.
I don’t know the neighbour well and she seems set in her ways but is also open to me sprucing things but ‘not fussing.’ I don’t think there’s any chance of a roof being added but I have been keeping my eye out on a proper coop.
I convinced my neighbour to leave Henny out of the pen tonight and suggested a crate of some sort but she didn’t have anything. Henny was offered the yard as an escape, with access to undercover and a lawn mower to roost on and a basket to sleep in. I am feeling very sad for Henny tonight but glad she is away from the two newbies.

 

[Jenyenen]

Today’s update.
The owner trialled having Henny spend time with the less aggressive chook today. The Alpha newbie stayed in the pen and Henny and the second newbie were in the main yard. They had a long amount of time where they were not monitored.
When I arrived later in the day, I observed Henny and Newbie 2. Henny avoided Newbie 2 and ran from her whenever she came near. Newbie 2 showed interest in Henny but did not attack her while I was there. Newbie 2 spent a lot of time close to the fence of Alpha Newbie and it was clear they are a bonded pair.
I made a not great but the best I could roost. It has a roof over top but it won’t be great during our super heavy QLD downpours.
I also added another dog house that I found on the side of the road as some extra nesting spaces and some crates. I attempted to use the book shelf that was already there but I’m not sure it’ll be used.
As I was leaving, I noticed Newbie 2 attack Henny. I probably intervened too quick, acting from a heart space. I put Newbie 2 back in the pen with Alpha Newbie so that Henny could have some safe time alone in the main yard.
I put a dog house and a basket filled with newspaper for Henny to nest in and also tried to make her a perch/roost.
Despite my best efforts to educate the owner, she shared today that she feels the chooks will sort things out in 3 or so days and will place Henny back in the pen then.
I’m at a loss at what I can do to help any further but if the option comes to rescue Henny, I will happily bring her home with me. She is such a lovely girl.
Below are pics of pen/roost.

 

[Mrs. K]

Really, I think you should get your own chickens and leave her chickens alone. I can see that you are doing this with the best intentions, but they are not your birds or your property. I would not like you doing this to me and my chickens.

This is a wonderful hobby, and having a hobby and working with it every day is very good for grief. I am sorry for the loss of your Dad, those things are tough. Now that you have some experience, think about setting this up in your own yard. It is a lot of fun.

It is funny, but I don't see any chickens in the pictures? I rather like the set up from a chicken point of view. Enough space for 3 chickens. One could set up a couple of mini walls. With feed bowls behind them, to allow a chicken to get out of sight. You want to create hideouts, so that a bird can get out of sight, but not trapped in there. Pallets leaned agains a wall work well, with opening at both ends.

Personally, I agree with the owner, they will settle it in a couple of days. Locking up the alpha chicken is a good idea. One on one, is a pretty good situation. There will be bluster, but generally one on one will work itself out. Leave those two together for several days, interfere as little as possible, then later add in the third.

Looking at the run, it would be pretty easy to temporarily divide the run area into two parts. A lot of people swear by this. After 2-3 weeks - remove the fencing. Personally, I think that it is better to let them work it out. One needs to have enough space, hideouts, so they can figure things out, and when it gets to be too much, get away.

Again, I think you should get your own chickens. But don't be tempted to take the victim, and just keep her. Even though the introduction is difficult, it is better for chickens to be with other chickens.

Mrs K

 

[Jenyenen]

Thanks for feedback. It’s reassuring to know you think it’ll be fine.
It had been pouring rain so the chickens were in the main garden seeking cover while I had been building things in the pen.
As for going onto her property, this is something she has welcomed me to do. She is older and has asked for the help and I also trap an invasive bird on her property that is killing natives.
Indeed, they are her chickens and it’s is her choice as to what happens moving forward.

 

[aart]

I also trap an invasive bird on her property that is killing natives.

What kind of bird?

 

[Mrs. K]

I bet she does like your help. It is good for both of you.

 

[Jenyenen]

What kind of bird?

The Common Myna, otherwise known as an Indian Myna.

 

[aart]

The Common Myna, otherwise known as an Indian Myna.

Do they attack the chickens?

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