Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: rosegarden on August 24, 2014, 18:49
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We have got 3 hybrid hens and have had them for 13 months. Everything has been fine until they returned from being looked after by a friend while we were on holiday. They had their own coop and run and their usual food and treats of greens and corn in the evening. No 3 has returned with a different personality - before she was a gentle giant and quite happy to be no3 now she is pecking at no 2 and today made contact with no 2 comb resulting in a small cut. I have checked them all for mite lice etc and they are okay - In have also checked their vents feet and legs. They have been wormed and dusted for mite etc. I have treated the comb with gentian violet spray and all week I have been using anti feather pecking spay on no 2 no feathers have been pecked out but the actions of no 3 are quite aggressive. It's as if she's had enough of no 2!!!! We have cut out the treats and the corn but they are still having greens and today they have been free ranging all day. The run is the correct size for 3 hens and they have access to water and layers pellets all day. We are at a loss at what to do next and any advice would be appreciated.
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If you can separate no 3 from the rest, that will allow no 2 to re-establish her bond with no 1. No 3 will then have to take the pair on when she returns. A collapsible dog cage will do for the daytime and then bring it indoors or put it in the garage overnight.
Failing that, beak rings, which stop hens closing their beaks completely, can work a treat. You can buy them online if you don't have a poultry nearby :)
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I think the pecking order is best sorted by the hens !
Top hen is not always a job for life !
I used to have an infra red camera in the coop and the amount of serious pecks to the head dealt out to subordinate hens with little or no damage was incredible.
If no 3 has had enough of no2s attitude and is letting her know , so be it!
Hens will be hens ! :)
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If she is producing blood then seperating the bully for a couple of days should help, you may need to do this a few times. Also picking up the bully and walking around with her firmly under the arm can help as well.