Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: WR1 on May 20, 2008, 22:05
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Sorry to keep on asking questions , being knew to chicken keeping many small challenges occur daily. Today we have a problem with our light sussex hens , we have 1 cockerel and 3 hens , 1 of the hens is really being bullied by one of the other hens to the extent she was bleeding tonight .
What should we do.
1:- Remove bullied hen and put in seperate run with our 2 silkies.
2:- Remove cockerel and bullie to seperate run and put silkies and 2 remaining light sussex hens together.
3:- leave everything as is and see if everything improves.
Many Thanks
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Take the bully out for a few days and see if she loses top chook status when you put her back.
Wait for other opinions fist though
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I'd go with aunt Sally and remove the bully for as long a time as possible in the hope that one of the others assumes the role of top dog (hen). The funny thing about hens is that you will find one that has been bullied in the past will become a bully itself if it gets the chance when new younger birds are introduced :shock: I suppose it's all about establishing and maintaining the pecking order.
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Do you think they are just establishing pecking order . We should just leave them to it for a couple of days and just step in if things continue .
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I'd recommend the anti peck rings (from the Domestic Fowl Trust http://www.domesticfowltrust.co.uk/sundries1.html) - they don't stop the bird eating or drinking but do stop her from being able to close her beak tight - so she can't peck feathers or skin ...