The Poultry Keeper

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

Hi

It's Day 3 here with my 4 new girls and one of them has started pecking the others and sometimes pulling a feather out. She is the largest of the 2 black stars and mainly picks on the blue belles but also has a go at her black star sister. They all lived together before I got them on Sunday.

Are they just sorting out the pecking order ? How long should I expect this to go on and should I do anything ? Sad

Aussie Chick · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject:

It sounds like they are just sorting out Top hen. It shouldn't last for more than a couple of days. Just don't watch.

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

Agree with Belinda, it dosn't usually take long to sort out the lorder. Although occasionally you will find a higher hen giving another a lower one a nip if she happens to be in the way at the food

Knobby · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 2:20 pm Post subject:

debcat · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 2:47 pm Post subject:

what they all said Laughing

Lisa · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 5:34 pm Post subject:

Sometimes trying to distract them with food helps a bit eg hanging up veg, or throwing wheat over the ground. It just distracts them a bit by giving them something else to peck at. But they still need to sort out their own little group pecking order Confused

Does it happen around food? If so, it can be useful to put out more than one feeder temporarily, so the one at the bottom of the pecking order has another place to go eat (or drink) from when the top hen chases them away...