[hillfooter]

I was recomended to get a cockerel to sort out my hen that has got a bit full of her self.  I have four hens two legbars and two wellsummers.  The cockerel i got was a bantie mille fluer. His size is no isue for him and takes no hassel from the girls! However he is too small to do any damage to the girls feathers.  He is so tame too! Not sure if it has sorted out margo's bad attitude. Glad i got him though.

As well as aggressive cocks you can always get aggressive hens.  I've never had one but I once looked after a hen "Dotty" belonging to a friend of a friend of my daughters.  It was over a two week period at Christmas.  She was a rescue hen and reputedly wouldn't tollerate other hens and obviously had it's owner under it's claw as she also claimed it would eat nothing but mash and grapes.  As I didn't feed mash (or grapes) I asked her to supply the food. 

As I had an empty stable box at the the time which was occupied by a convalescing cock (Sylvester my avatar) who had got the worst of a scrap with Sidney his neighbour.  I separated the two in their own pens.  Dotty was a right pain and when  I decided to clean them out after a week I took the dividing panels down to sweep out so Sylvester and Dotty were together for a brief time.  Sylvester, now much recovered, advanced towards Dotty to introduce himself and when he got within range she suddenly launched a viscous pecking attack.  Sylvester lept back with a startled look on his face.  He dew himself up to his full height and for a moment starred at Dotty from a couple of yards then jumped forward and gave her a pasting.  I quickly separated them before any damage was done.

The mash of course ran out so Dotty was forced to eat pellets and by the end of the two weeks she was eating them no problem.  When her owner returned she was pleased to find Dotty was eating pellets and corn like a normal hen.  I got the story of how Dotty had been given to the rescue centre because of her bad attitude and she hadn't been able to put another hen with her.  I said she could have one of my Light Sussex to try with her when she went home but It didn't work out and the LS was returned a week later as Dotty couldn't get on with it.

Some folks are slaves to their chx.
HF

[ManicMum]

I can't wait to get my chickens and begin to observe their behaviour first-hand!  I'm all in favour of using their natural behaviour to sort out any problems and really admire the advice of experienced keepers like Hillfooter.

I agree - there's so much knowledge and experience always available on this forum,

Any update on your new girls, Lindeggs?

[dilsdaisy]

Update! .. all in together now and all seems well (fingers & toes crossed!) put in extra feeding/water stations and hung some greens up in the run to give them something to do  , whilst Maggie is still first to the feeder when they come out in morning, the others just go to the other one , apart from the one odd warning cluck from Maggie when Betty pushes her luck by standing too near the corn in the afternoon ..hopefully all is settled  so thanks for all your advice ! oh and had two eggs this morning too!!! Happy days !

[emotion-2003]

hey my warren pullets start laying too.i think days getting longer.

[joyfull]

my little Belgiums that Big Jen gave me at the poultry show last year have just started to lay little dinky eggs  Thanks Jen xx