The Poultry Keeper

Nisi · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Yorkshire

I have spent today trying to find a home for my bully of a hen, Doris.

I have phoned the RSPCA, my local vet and also visited local farms with free range hens. I suppose it's understandable that they don't want a bully, but I thought it was worth a try. I also phoned my supplier who suggested either clipping it's beak or dare I say it "Necking It". We have the option of a very long drive to take her back and exchange her, taking her to the vets to be put to sleep or letting her take her chance in the woods. Every option seems to mean curtains for poor Doris.

Does anyone have any suggestions to save her life?

debcat · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 5:25 pm Post subject:

never tried these but they are supposed to help
http://www.smallholdersupplies.com/item2913.htm

mojo · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 5:25 pm Post subject: hu

try the cold and miserable trick.it sometimes works on a bully..........make a small wire cage inside the run put in the bully with clean water and leave her there for 48 hours........feed the others treats by the side of her cage but none for bully.............hope it works.mojo Cool

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

What was the form of bullying? It must be bad!! Shocked

Nisi · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Yorkshire

She had pecked a large and bloody hole in the side and rear of one of the blue belles. I put her in exile in the summerhouse for 48 hours and then put her back in. Within an hour the blue belles wound had been pecked open again and there was another one on her other side. The hen she was bullying was hiding in the hen house and her fellow blue belle was with her. The remaining hen who is a black star as is the bully lost a lot of feathers.

It has been very upsetting seeing the injuries and I have had to admit defeat as she appears to be a bad one. So my problem is simply what to do with her as although I am upset with her, I do not wish her harm.

Dorset Poultry · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject:

do you have a cockerel? if not you could try borrowing one as they are the best method of controlling bullies I know. hope this helps Very Happy

Nisi · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Yorkshire

Thank you for the suggestion but apart from the fact that I do not know anyone who has a cockerel, the neighbours would be very upset !

Lisa · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:40 pm Post subject:

I had a bad problem with feather pecking with my first birds. Although they never broke the skin of my little welsummer, they pulled her feathers so badly her back half had no feathers at all Sad

I had tried isolating the main bully for a couple of days but that didn't change the behaviour.

The final advice I was given was to leave the one being bullied in the house and run and isolate the others. Then I was to leave them this way for a couple of weeks. The one being bullied, and now left in the run on her own, should now feel more that the house and run was now her space.

Then I was to put back the least bad of the bullies. Wait another week and if all was well put back another. Finally after another week to put the worst one back. The idea was that the weak one would "own" the house and run, and the ones going back would feel more like new comers and so not bully her...

Unfortunately Willow the Welsummer got a terminal case of sour crop before I got to try this out. The vet put it down to the stress of all the bullying Sad

Would it be worth trying to rehome her in a large flock? As the newcomer, in a new place, with a large group of birds that had already bonded, maybe somewhere with a cockerl too, she might feel so out of place and outnumbered that she wouldn't act in the same way?

If you can find her a new home, somewhere with more space might help too (although I don't know how much space they have now)? Last time I took one of our chooks into the vets I spoke to one of the vet receptionists. She had rehomed a group of chickens that were feather pecking. She has a horse and the chooks have the whole paddock to wander round. She told me that since she's had them they've been fine...

Don't know if either of those ideas help.

Best of luck - its a tough decision Sad

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

My Maran has been losing a lot of feathers the last few days, well nights mainly. I put it down to moult as the others are nearly through theirs. The last 3 mornings I have looked in the house when I let them out and there are a lot of feathers on the floor, large and small and she looks a bit scruffy ad thin. Then tonight when I went to close everything up and have a look at them she was on the perch next to one of the Wyandottes and the Wyandotte had one of her feathers in her beak.

Although she is the most skittish of the group she is eating fine, wandering around all day with the others fine and gave one of them an all mighty telling off and a peck when the mixed corn was put down.

Sometimes you read all the info and put two and two together. I hope there is nothing to worry about. Am I being stupid? Rolling Eyes

She has no injuries, doesn't go into the hunched position at all and I have NEVER seen any of the other girls have a go at her in daylight.

Lisa · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:04 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't worry about that - its the time of year for moulting, and the other chook probably just got curious in a "what's that, can I eat it" kinda way!

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Hi Nisi!

What size is she? I have a cockerel that may be able to sort her out! He certainly comes out all guns blazing on a morning and sorts out my hens.

I'm near Goole - just up the M62 from you. ~ It may be worth a shot?

debcat · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:07 pm Post subject:

if you have seen no signs of pecking or injury it is mosty likely that the other one has just picked a feather up, especially as this is the only one not to have moulted
Some of them get really threadbear, my barn looks like it could be aa feather factory at the moment Confused

Hth

debcat · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:09 pm Post subject:

Nisi · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Yorkshire

Lisa - thank you so much for your suggestion and marathon typing. I thought the same (about the large flock) and that is what I was hoping to achieve with local farms etc. I thought the RSPCA might be able to suggest some kind of 'hen rescue' place. But it seems that people don't worry to much about such things.
I don't have a suitable place for long term isolation as just one hen has wrecked my summerhouse - poop everywhere !
So, I think I will just have to take her back and exchange her as there doesn't seem to be any other option. Presumably, she didn't cause a problem when in her original flock, so I hope they do put her back in with them.

It is very nice to see the remaining three looking so calm and relaxed.

Thank you again for your help.

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

I was actually thinking of taking her on - rather than lending out my 'running bear' rofl!!!

Sorry i realise I didnt make that clear!

Nisi - if I'm closer than the breeder that is!