I have a small flock of five. There is one hen they beat up, so she stays in a nesting box all day. She has food and water, but she’s not looking good. They’ve obviously been pecking at her. Should I separate her? Should I give her a little house away from the others?
Sometimes a slew ’s societal fiat can become marred with violence . A hen can be bullyrag when she appears to threaten the status of the others or because she seems to be fail either her chosen or depute role within the mountain .
The reader ’s fussy situation remind me of myAustralorp , Helen . Between the calendar month of May and October , Helen becomes broody four or five times for two to three week at a time . As such , she spend a lot of metre in the nest box . When she leaves , or when I remove her to care for herself , the rest of the flock let her know through sharp muckle , chamfer and fender flapping that she is neglecting her place . Without my protection to allow her to corrode and tope , she will come back to the coop as the flock instructs , whether she has eggs to baby-sit on or not .
It seems , to me , that the reviewer ’s hen isbroody . Otherwise , the hen would avoid the bullies and resume her natural wimp doings , like forage , dust bathing and dress . She would n’t veil in the nest box unless she is fulfilling the instinct to sit on eggs . The rest of the flock knows when a hen is broody . You ’ll know it , too . When she ’s removed from the nest , she ’ll puff up her feather , and she wo n’t be able to stop clack . She ’ll be nervous , docile , flighty and very hungry .
Not allflock violencerequires your intercession . Occasional scuffles are normal , but when it ’s obvious that one hen has become an outlier and she ’s being injured , she needs human supporter . Here ’s what you’re able to do to ease the situation .
Isolate The Bullied Hen
Isolating the bullied hen will protect her while her injuries heal . Give her a safe place to catch one’s breath and recover . Unfortunately , permanent isolation would not be right for her . poulet are very societal brute , and isolation would foreshorten her quality of life in the recollective run . When it ’s time for the hen to yield to the muckle , show the flock thatyouare the head hen with these next suggestion .
Isolate The Aggressor
If only one biddy is strong-growing , you may help qualify her behaviour by isolating her in the chicken coop while the flockfree - ranges . If you ca n’t devoid kitchen stove the birds , position up a disjoined , irregular daytime pen next to the existing coop is another option . Denying her both exemption and status will calm her aggressiveness .
Isolate The Remaining Flock
If your chickens gratis - grasp , put away them up in the ravel while the recovering hen ranges alone with your oversight . When the flock is force to watch her roam barren , it lowers their perceived status , like when a single assailant is isolated . Repeat this activity until you could smell that the social club has develop some room for talks .
Reunite The Flock
When you feel that the bullied biddy and the flock are ready to reunite , always oversee .
If Your Hen Is Broody …
When your biddy is brooding and being bullied for leaving the nest , the intimidation will discontinue when her broodiness ends . If she ’s a new biddy and her arrange inherent aptitude is high , she might postulate your help to care for herself . If you ’d wish to break her broodiness , my favourite method acting is to interlock my broody biddy out of the cage for the day . Restricting her access to the nest box is a quick and humane intercession to terminate the broodiness .
