[Nicki85]

Hello!  Haven't been on for a while but things have been running smoothly  :happy: but now Ruby is being troublesome.  Let me explain...

I have four chooks, two Burford Browns and two Legbars.  For a year they lived together fairly happily in the same house.  However, during their moult Autumn last year the pecking started :-( The two Burford Browns picked on the two legbars.  I left it till Spring to see if they sorted themselves out but they didn't so I bought another house and split the Burford Browns and Legbars up into separate pens.

All was going well until a couple of nights ago when Ruby, the least dominant Burford Brown, refused to go to bed.  She kept going to sleep behind the house and would not go in- I literally had to push her in :-(

I suspect Lilith (top Burford Brown) is bullying Ruby and not letting her in.  But, I don't know what to do about it!  I tried putting Ruby in with the Legbars but she immediately picked on them and started being mean so I can't see that as an option.

I'm tempted to try and rehome Lilith as I suspect she would be happier in a home with a cockerel to keep her in order but I don't really want to. 

Does any one have any ideas?  I've checked the house for redmite and nasties and Lilith is going in fine 

[ANHBUC]

If you wait until it is dark and then put Ruby in with Lilith there shouldn't be much bullying when they are drowsy. 

Check Rubys feet, if she has a problem with them she will not want to roost.

[ehs284]

.....and stop calling girls Lilith, it's asking for trouble

[Helenaj]

.....and stop calling girls Lilith, it's asking for trouble

 

[grinling]

My hens and chicks mix during the day, but the 2 new ones pick on Poppy, my bantam, if she goes into the hen house. Bluey thinks I'm the cockerel, so backed off at my arrival and sussex was picked up so it learns I'm in charge.

[Anndee]

I must be being thick but why is it asking for trouble to call girls Lilith??

[Nicki85]

Well they seem to have sorted themselves out now!  Ruby is going to bed very nicely  I just kept putting her in and she soon got the message.

I called Lilith Lilith because when we first got her she spent all her time attacking the others and pulling their feathers out  Sooo I named her after a demon (Jewish Demon Queen?!) as she is the Queen and evil!  Or she could be the first vampire...