The Poultry Keeper

dandelion · Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 17 Location: WARWICKSHIRE

Wondering if someone can offer some advice on a couple of subject's.Firstly the bullying.On saturday (18th March) i bought two new hen's (RIR x light sussex)from the poultry poofs.While i expected there to be a certain amount of pecking and posturing,to establish the pecking order,my Rhodey hen has been EVIL.As soon as i let the new arrival's out into the garden (at dusk as instructed) my Rhodey attacked both hen's.At first she was just pecking,then she was jumping on top of them and pulling them to the ground by the neck.The attack's are not that extreme anymore,but she is still running to the feeder and pecking them untill they move,and i've had to mesh the front of her nest box to stop her attacking them during the night.I've placed two feeder's about 20 yard's apart,and the same with the drinker's.On the subject of the ACV.I've bought a bottle of,Aspall's cyder vinegar "for culinary use and healthy living".Is this the correct stuff?It was the only thing in my local supermarket,and when i asked at my local chemist's for ACV this was whet they offered me. Embarassed

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

One suggestion is to segregate the bully from the rest of the flock for a while.

As for ACV you are better to get it from a farm suppliers or equestrian place.

mojo · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:52 pm Post subject:

agree with george also can try health food shop for cloudy(unfiltered) ACV

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Very often if you separate the bully for a while, but keep her in sight of the other chickens, the remaining chickens will establish a pecking order of their own. When you then re-introduce the bully after maybe a week or so she should in theory no longer be top hen and she will have to try to fit in with the established flock.
Please let us know how you get on

Seaside Landlady · Joined: 20 Feb 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Scotland

my RIR's did exactly this when I introduced two new black rocks, I honestly thought they were going to kill them.

I sectioned the run with a bit of trellis and put the four old birds on one side and the two new ones on the other. I put the a food and water by the trellis at each side so they would see each other and after a week or so, gradually opened up the trellis and removed the food on the old side. although I kept two feeders going for a while to give the new ones chance to get in. They were quite happy roosting together at night, it was just when they were out that the fun started.

They all get along fine now I'm glad to say, hopefully yours will too soon.

Timbo · Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 206 Location: Cranfield, Beds.

Sorry to hear about the bullying.

If it's any consolation, I bought some chickens (Buff Orpingtons and New Hampshires) on Saturday from Poultry Poofs too. My Black Rock started having a go at the New Hampshires the next morning (I had added the new chooks Sat, night) and the Orp girls were having a go at the Black Rock AND the Hampshires.

There are some bushes in my run and the Hampshires spent alot of time under there. I provided 3 feeding points spread out as far as possible, 2 water drinkers and scattered corn everywhere around the run so there was a plentiful supply of food for all.

Today, opening the hatch, they all ran out and I didn't see any signs of pecking.. just eating.. I believe the pecking order has been established. Cool

In time it has passed. I think the other comments are sound, in my opinion:

1. Provide enough room for all concerned to get away from one another and get OUT OF SIGHT of one another.

2. Provide a good food supply so there is no competition for food.

3. Provide water in places that all chooks can get to

It can be difficult I know but there will always be a pecking order with 2 chooks or more! Keep you chin up.

There is bound to be a host of other replies with other ideas but I can only talk on my experience which is of course limited!

Tim

nigel · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 7:38 am Post subject:

Unpleasant though it is to watch. A pecking order is an essential part of the chickens natural life. Apart from the advice given above about making sure food and water being available to all and placing the newcomers into a separate run where they can be seen but not attacked. I just clench my teeth and let it happen. Unless we start to see blood being drawn I try not to intervene. It rarely takes more than 4-5 days to get the worst of it over with. I age 4-5 years with the anxiety though

mojo · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:14 am Post subject:

know the feeling if after 8 days they are still at it i start to seperate them but other than that clench the teeth and try not to stand and warch..........fraid thats nature got to have a top hen

HelenP · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 144 Location: GLOUCESTERSHIRE

I'm new to this and got 5 chickens last saturday - all from the same place. Two black rocks were kept in the same cage, a bluebelle, buttercup and another hybrid had all been kept apart. On getting the birds home the pecking order seems to be the white hybrid is head honcho, followed by buttercup then bluebelle and the 2 black rocks are at the bottom of the pile. The black rocks spend most of the day in the house - I've tried shutting the door to stop any of them getting in there to familiarise the brs with being outside with the others and just when I think things are improving, for example when I come home from work and see all 5 out, the next time I look I see the brs have disappeared back inside again!! I've not had a problem with real violence - just a bit of feather pulling and squabbling - chasing off food. I've done as recommended with 2 feeders and drinkers and am hoping it settles - more experienced keepers on here have assured me that it will and that it's a question of time but but I agree it's not nice to watch.

Timbo · Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 206 Location: Cranfield, Beds.

Update: All of mine are now eating together with the odd chase and peck over a couple of tasty treats. The pecking order is the same... but things have calmed down dramatically.

For the first time today, all laid an egg..

Hang in there Helen, it's tough to see but unless there is real bloodshed, stick with it. Just remember the most valuable 'resource' for your chooks is most likely food so make sure there is enough for all in different places during this period. Watch when you feed them to see if there is 'chasing off' from the two feeders and the BR's are not eating - if so, introduce more feeders.

Leaving the birds to sort themselves out is (in my opinion!) the best and fastest way to get them to settle, only when it gets really bad (a wound / bleeding and continued pecking etc) would I separate the birds in the run. I would (personally..) leave the house open, especially if it breaks the 'eye to eye' view between birds. Give them places to get away and hide from view but when they are shut in they are not getting used to one another if they cannot see / smell one another. A bird or two hiding should be fine, as long as you make sure they are getting food and water.

I believe time should sort out the pecking order.. Wink

Good Luck... Please let us know later on how things have gone on

Tim

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

How's it going dandelion ~ have they settled down?

dandelion · Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 17 Location: WARWICKSHIRE

It doe's seem to be improving.As mentioned above it seem's to be a food and shelter thing,ie,the rhodey only chase's and peck's when the other two are,at the feeder's or drinker's,in the dust bath,or in the coup.For instance,they all settled down for the night yesterday,when i came home i opened the nest boxe's to put the rhodey in the secure one,as soon as the light got inside she started attacking them! Dare i risk removing the mesh from the rhodey's nest box and let them spend the night together?

Timbo · Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 206 Location: Cranfield, Beds.

Dandelion,

You will have to let them sort things out sooner or later...Once it is dark they will not fight, they may even roost together.

When I put my new arrivals in, I did it at night, then, first thing in the morning I went up to find mayhem starting as it got light so I let them out straight away..

In a small enclosure such as the coop, there is little or no room for a hen to escape bullying, in my opinion, I would keep the Rhodey in the closed box for the night then let them all out in the run... Grin and bare it unless there is a real injury. Confused

I would keep checking every 15 minutes at first if you can't bare to watch it. The first couple of days will be the worst. But slowly the order should be established.

Good Luck, whatever you decide and do come back and let us know how it's going Wink

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

When you let the girls out it's useful to have a small handful of corn. If any bullying is about to start throw a bit of corn ~ tummyies win every time

dandelion · Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 17 Location: WARWICKSHIRE

Good news,everybody's happy.Although my rir is still letting them know who's head honcho,they are actually acting like they know each other now (inspecting the garden as a threesome now,oooer missus!).Even our pet rabbit is joining in,i had to remove him from one of the nest boxe's about 5 minute's ago!Before i go, what's this all about?I have three drinker's in the garden,that are cleaned and refilled with fresh water every day.So why do my hen's then go and slurp out of a muddy puddle?ungreatfull bugger's.