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Need advice with pecking order

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Hi - last weekend I bought a new flock of chickens - 7 in total. They are a range of sizes from pekin bantam to large wyandotte. All 6 chickens get on really well - however the wyandotte doesn't really mix with the others and just lurks on her own (whilst all 6 others follow each other) they haven't been out of the run yet.

 

There has been minimal pecking up until today when the Wyandotte has turned on all the other chickens and is being quite vicious - not the worst I've ever seen, but not nice all the same) do you think that due to her size she doesn't feel she fits in with the others and will always be a loner and pick ont he others. I did notice today that she has been going into the nesting bit so she might be getting ready to lay? Might this explain why she's suddenly become nasty? Do you think it will settle down - or do you think it will always be an issue with her and she just doesn'y fit in with the flock? I could take her back to the place I got her from and change her for a smaller chicken.

 

To let you know the sizes of the othe birds -

 

1 pekin bantam

2 silkies

1 Aracuna

1 RIR cross

1 Light sussex

 

and 1 big nasty wyandotte

 

Help - what shall I do....

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Did you get them all from the same place, and did they previously range together? On the whole it's difficult to mix sizes - I had no trouble with a Speckledy and a bantam Wyandotte, because the latter's personality more made up for her lack of size, but the other way round (placid bantam(s) plus large Wyandotte) is, as you are finding out, a less than ideal combination.

 

You might be all right with her in the end, but since they are all new and you have the option of swapping her, it might be wise to get another bantam instead. Wyandottes of all sizes do tend to be loud and not terribly friendly (though they are good layers, as well as being very attractive of course).

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We have only had our chickens for a few weeks but in the past few days we have noticed that one of them is being pecked at on its neck. When we watch them i have seen 2 different chickens peck at it but there doesnt seem to be any other problems as they all allow it to eat with them when we give them treats and they sleep all huddled together. Will this die down eventually? It seems funny that it didnt happen when we first got them but after a few weeks. They are all hybrids-2 warrens and 2 black rocks.

 

Emma

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some of them are from the same place and some of them aren't - (the bantam and silkie aren't)

 

Thinking about it we put the silkies and bantam in 1 day after the others and she's only been mean since then - but she's being mean to all of them.

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In general it is not advised to mix bantams and hybrids as there can be some nastiness.

 

However, many manage a mixed sized flock successfully.

 

It would be a good idea to give them several feeding and drinking stations, so that no-one is prevented from eating, as bullying issues often centre around food.

 

I'm delighted to see Eyren has recommended Ukadex Spray.......I had fun poked at me a few days ago for mentioning it a couple of times. :lol:

 

It works very well, and if it tastes as bad as it smells I can understand why.

 

A little dab of it on all of them will give them all the same "flock smell" and might remove another reason for bullying.

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I'm delighted to see Eyren has recommended Ukadex Spray.......I had fun poked at me a few days ago for mentioning it a couple of times. :lol:

 

Well, it makes a change from limestone flour ;)

 

I've never had a problem with feather-pulling, so I was just repeating what I'd heard. I'm hoping that I don't have to resort to it with mine - I have a very acute sense of smell!

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You can get Ukadex**here**

 

It is much better at preventing pecking than the products you mention. Gentian violet spray works by masking the colour of blood and wounds, and also has an antiseptic action, but doesn't taste any where near as bad as Ukadex, so probably wouldn't stop the type pf pecking associated with bullying.

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