[Feeb]

they all have clean water, good organic food and as much as they like,  two feeders so there is no issue about space to eat

and yet Martha, my battery chicken is just making it impossible for the others to survive

she will bully them until they go and nest in their house and then as soon as one of them pokes their heads out she attacks them -

all my beautiful chickens are starting to look like they are really hating life

what do i do?  my first instinct is to send her back to the people who bought her too me (she is a battery chicken and they said i could return her anytime) but i dont want to give up on them, i just feel having her here is actually making the lives of the other chickens far far more diffcult and they are actually suffering because she is a part of their flock

i am so angry i am in tears - i have just gone and watched her attacking all of them to the point were they just go and perch all day

very very sad Fi

[Roughlee Handled]

How long have you had her?

[Feeb]

i have had the chickens now for coming up 3 weeks - they all arrived on the same day and there was some trouble with Pheonix the Welsummer being bullied by the others but they have sorted their stuff out and established a pecking order amongst them

its just the battery chickens, i expected there to be issues but not to find one evil chicken that would just abuse, attack and deny the other chickens even a little bit of food

i will not let the lives of one animal affect the lives of so many others

i am so upset

[LittleRedHen]

Do you have a place to remove her to so she will be separated from the rest for a while?  Sometimes if the bully is removed, the others sort out their own pecking order and when she returns, will be knocked down a few pegs. 

[woodside farm]

Do you have a place to remove her to so she will be separated from the rest for a while?  Sometimes if the bully is removed, the others sort out their own pecking order and when she returns, will be knocked down a few pegs. 

I agree, you need to seperate her, put her in a rabbit hutch or something like it for at least a week, then try returning her to the rest of the flock.

Michelle xx

[Roughlee Handled]

You must understand that when you have been kept in a cage for so long it can cause mental issues.  Ex Batts are not the easiest birds.  I personally would give her time. If no blood has been drawn then all is OK.

[colliebird]

i have had the chickens now for coming up 3 weeks - they all arrived on the same day and there was some trouble with Pheonix the Welsummer being bullied by the others but they have sorted their stuff out and established a pecking order amongst them

its just the battery chickens, i expected there to be issues but not to find one evil chicken that would just abuse, attack and deny the other chickens even a little bit of food

i will not let the lives of one animal affect the lives of so many others

i am so upset

I had this problem with a hen.  She wouldn't let the others eat and attacked them, a real nasty.  I stuck it out for 2 weeks, put her in a separate place for a week then put her back.  She was no better, if anything, she was worse.  I gave her to my neighbours who have a large well established free range flock.  She stopped her bullying and is living happily ever after.  My hens are now happy.  Even Kwee-Kwee and Miranda the geese are settling.  They are kept in a separate part of the coop at night with only a metal mesh barrier separating them from the hens and Lilli the Greylag goose, but they can see each other.  When they are let out in the morning, the 3 geese stay together and the hens make their life around them. (Lilli still goes in the the hens at night, she doesn't want to sleep with the other two )

I was gobsmacked early the other morning.  As I opened the windows of the coop, I saw a rat come up through a hole it had obviously gnawed during the night.  The chickens attacked it and killed it    I've seen one of my Sussex catch a mouse in the run and
the others chase after her to have a piece.  Blimey!  They are better than a Jack Russell.
 

[SusieB]

The advice I got,I can't remember where from, is to try and make the bully look small in front of the others.  It was suggested that you push gentle down on her back, so she squats (as they do).  And also carry her round under you arm.  I think it worked a bit for me, it's hard to tell, but it can't do any harm.

[Feeb]

i think the best thing for her would be to give her time, but i have given it a week and my other ladies arent able to eat  i would love to seperate her but they only have one nesting spaces and not sure how we could go about putting her in a different area - i have just spoken to the lady who gave her to my and i think i am going to give her back - its just too hard to see her stopping the other chickens from coming out of the coop

i think its for the best, she wil be with other hardcore and established battery chickens who can look after themselves

am gutted though, feel like i have failed

[Jeanette]

Please dont feel as though you have failed. Ex bats can be difficult i have had them for the past 2 years but sometimes you get one that might not know how to get on with the others and it makes life very hard for them. I think if every thing that you have tried has not worked  then you are right to give her back. But please dont give up chooks can be lovely birds and very rewarding. Hugs

[Roughlee Handled]

Have you tried two feed stations?

[Brambles]

Hi Feeb..  I had the same problem with a rescue hen (rescued from a farm barn full of stragley chickens)...  She bullied one of my girls mercilessly and ate her feathers, I tried EVERYTHING.  Finally, in desperation, I separated her from the others, now she has her own house, own food and water and is as happy as can be.... she can see her ex friends through wire mesh.   All the girls are healthy, contented and laying the most lovely eggs ....  And I am a very relieved lady

[colliebird]

i think the best thing for her would be to give her time, but i have given it a week and my other ladies arent able to eat  i would love to seperate her but they only have one nesting spaces and not sure how we could go about putting her in a different area - i have just spoken to the lady who gave her to my and i think i am going to give her back - its just too hard to see her stopping the other chickens from coming out of the coop

i think its for the best, she wil be with other hardcore and established battery chickens who can look after themselves

am gutted though, feel like i have failed

You haven't failed, and you will be doing the right thing by letting her go.  Your other hens, yourself, and the bully will be happier and peace will reign.
Stress in the coop can create stress related illnesses, stop egg laying and create behavioural problems with your nice hens.

x x x

[Feeb]

thank you for the support guys, they have always had two feeding stations as although the packaging said for up to 6 birds, they didnt seem big enough for my six so i bought two straight away, i have even put them at opposite ends of the coop but Martha will stalk inbetween them eating out of both and actually come flocking over and attack any bird that goes near either of them

she fine with Pox the other battery chicken though, and Pox, in turn, is happy with the other chickens

its very odd

[colliebird]

thank you for the support guys, they have always had two feeding stations as although the packaging said for up to 6 birds, they didnt seem big enough for my six so i bought two straight away, i have even put them at opposite ends of the coop but Martha will stalk inbetween them eating out of both and actually come flocking over and attack any bird that goes near either of them

she fine with Pox the other battery chicken though, and Pox, in turn, is happy with the other chickens

its very odd

Hmmm, maybe the bully should have been called Pox and the other Martha
(sorry, couldn't resist  )