The Poultry Keeper

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

I don't know what is wrong with the Nursie flock at the moment but yet another problem has arisen!

One of the girls is getting badly bullied not by just one of the others but almost all of them. She was constantly being chased and pecked at and consequently she now looks very mouldy and sorry for herself Crying or Very sad

I read a couple of other posts about bullying and saw the recommendation was to take out the one doing the bullying - but as it is all of them I've taken the victim out to spare her.

Is this the right thing to do? Also, should I put her back in with them at night or keep her separated at night too? She can see all the others - she's just the other side of the netting.

Any suggestions gratefully received! Very Happy

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2240 Location: North Cornwall

I have a tiny little bantie that everyone hates. They even killed her one chick the other day.

She has had a house to her self for some time now and can cope with the bullying during the day when they are all free ranging, if she doesn't have to go through the night and early morning shut up with them.

That works for Fred, I hope you can get something sorted for your little one. It may just sort out on its own in time if you can bare it.

CP · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 8:01 pm Post subject:

You could try taking out the top hen, who is probably the instigator of the bullying. Then it may calm down a bit. You may still get some pecking but it may not be so severe.

Other than that, I don't know. Confused

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

I feel so sorry for her - but today since she's been safely on the other side of the fence she's seemed much happier.

The ringleader is the black rock I had problems with before. I think I am going to give her away to a friend of mine with a cockeral who will keep her in line. It may then be worth putting her back with the others like you suggest CP.

I think tonight I'll keep her seperate, take out the black rock tomorrow and see how she goes with the others.

They really are buggers!!

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

I've been listening to someone else's problems ~ exactly like yours Nursie. She had some hybrids and then introduced black rocks. The black rocks have persecuted one of the other girls ever since, to such an extent that she now lives in the house cowering away from them. For her it's been suggested that the food and drink is put in the house with her ~ that way the other birds have to come into her territory for nourishment. Another suggestion that has worked for someone else was to introduce a number of new birds, so that the pecking order has to be re-established and hopefully the hen pecked one is then no longer at the bottom of the pile. With each of these cases, it was the Black Rocks that were causing the problems.

I think what you're doing seems like a solution that could work, but it would be a shame for the one who gets picked on to always live on her own. I know, I know, don't go giving chickens human emotions ~ I just can't help it, I would be so unhappy for the odd one. Maybe if you take the BR out tomorrow, things might settle. I hope so, please keep us informed of how it goes.

debcat · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:45 pm Post subject:

I've heard of loads of problems with blackrocks Confused

they seem to be really dominant,
I had 4 at one point , but in a large flock where they were'nt such a problem
not sure I'd have anymore though

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

Well, I've put the Black Rock in the garden on her own and left the victim in the pen with all the others, and there was harmony at 5am when I let them out - so fingers crossed!

At present I've got 5 BR's and 11 little brown hens and they are all as happy as larry - it's just this one who has suddenly started causing problems.

I'm due to get another 15 BR's next month and am giving away some of my brown girls and to be honest I think the trouble maker will go too. They are going to my friend with the cockerel and he did seem to sort her out when she went there briefly before.

Anyway, I'll let you know how things go as the day progresses!

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

A nice peaceful start to the day for you and your girls, Nursie ~ I hope the rest of the day goes just as well.

Dixie Chicks · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 311 Location: South West Cumbria

Hope it works out for you Nursie. I re-homed a trouble maker last year too and she settled into her new flock really quickly I'm pleased to say.

Another 15 Black Rocks - are you a glutton for punishment or what Laughing

?

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

Dixie Chicks ~ I was thinking the same thing, but didn't like to ask.

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

I know, I know!!! I am very fond of the other Black Rocks though!

All still peaceful here, poor girl who was being picked on has had a nice quiet morning and no picking on at all. Just goes to show it was the one baddie making all the others attack her.

Bad Bird is definately going as soon as I can arrange her new home and if she still misbehaves then I'm afraid she may be destined for the big chicken pen in the sky!! (Hopefully it won't come to that though)

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

Hope it continues to be peaceful for you

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

An interesting thing happened last night.

I have two hen houses, a big one attached to the pens which they all sleep in and a little one which is just out in the run and which they use during the day for shelter, etc.

Last night I put the bully in the pen adjoining the one with the house attached in order for me to be able to bed her down in the little house at roosting time.

Went out to shut them up and all 15 of them had crowded in the Small house (designed for 8 or so!!) They would not budge, so I just shut them up and put trouble maker in the big house on her own.

This to me was an indication of just what a serious bully she has become - that they were frightened to even roost with her. She will definitely be going!

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

I hope you get her rehomed soon Nursie, so your other girls can spread out a bit.

Nursie · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 162

Morning all! Just a quick update on the ongoing bully saga!

I put the bully back in the pen with the others last Friday morning as she was becoming stressed by being apart (even though she could see them). All was peace and harmony and I thought that I'd cracked it - they even shared a house with her that night!

Saturday morning - just getting in my car and I glanced across to the pen, and there she is tearing lumps out of Vera Victim.

I got a box, bundled her in it, put her in the car and drove to my friend's house (the one with the cockerel and other hens) and dropped her off there.

She has had a real wake up call! She was hounded by the cockerel and bullied by the 2 Black Rocks there for a day or so, but now all is settled and she is very firmly at the bottom of the pecking order!

It's a shame as I had a real soft spot for her, but she had become an real terror. Interestingly, since she's gone, egg production has risen!!