[dazza666]

Hello all, ive been reading the forums for a while but only just got my first set of hens today, unfortunately everything is not going well

we have three chickens

copperblack
rhode island
and a white one, forgot the name

the problem is that the rhode island keeps on attacking both the white and black chickens? what do we do? at one point the chicken clamped down its beak on the white chickens feathers and wouldnt let go for a few seconds, we are finding it very concerning and distressing watching this, as well as the large amount of noise they understandably generate when in distress - the trouble is we live in a residential area, so this cant go on

what do I do to remedy the problem?!

[min200]

Hi Dazza,

If the chooks were not kept together before they are just sorting out the pecking order.  It lasts a few days or so.   

[dazza666]

Hi Dazza,

If the chooks were not kept together before they are just sorting out the pecking order.  It lasts a few days or so.   

Hi min200

many thanks for replying! the white and copperblack were keep together, but the rhode island one were not, so hopefully this explains it

ive just been outside to check and the rhode island is in the nest box (we closed him in there to keep him seperate) but now the others are sitting down in the run, its about 9pm, ive opened up the nest box again and hopefully they will venture in there and ill close it up for the night, otherwise ill just have to close it and leave them in the run, shouldnt be too cold and I put a box in there for them if it does...

[GrannieAnnie]

You say 'him' when referring to the Rhode Island, is it a cockerel?  If it is, maybe he was trying to tread the other 2?

[dazza666]

You say 'him' when referring to the Rhode Island, is it a cockerel?  If it is, maybe he was trying to tread the other 2?

sorry I meant her! its not a cockerel we havent heard it crow, the shop we got them from knew we just wanted hens...