4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[farrowy]

Good morning

 

Very worried about my chooks at the moment. For the last 5 months they've been a happy gang of 5, the 4 girlies and 1 cockerel.

 

There's been no trouble apart frm the odd peck/grumpy chook moment here and there.

 

Then yesterday - Henry has suddenly seemed to take against Hedwig hen. He isn't attacking her - but is constantly chasing her away from the group. She' on her own at one end of the garden and if she trys to rejoin the gang she gets chased away.

 

It's upseting to see as Hedwig was our bolshiest of hens and now she seems a nervous wreck. She was exhausted by yesterday evening. She tries to run away from him through the omlet netting, gets stuck and seems to just sit down with her head in the netting. When I free her and pick her up she was almost falling asleep in my arms.

 

Any advice would be realy really appreciated.

[Egg Lou]

Sorry I can't offer any advice.. but wanted to say I hope peace is restored soon for your poor girl

[Gallina]

I don't think many people on this forum have cockerels, so it is hard to give advice. It is awful seeing a gentle hen suffer like this.

[The Dogmother]

Have you tried squirting him with water when he does this? Poor little hen, I hope that she's better soon. Are you able to segregate her so that she can still see her friends, but gets a rest from that naughty boy?

[farrowy]

Thankyou for the replies - it's a real comfort. It's just so strange the way yesterday he really took against her, I wonder why.

 

I've tried squirting him a few times but it didn't seem to make a difference, as soon as I left I could see him out of the window at her again.

 

My hubby has now moved the fencing and Henry is now fenced off on his own, with the 4 girlies on the other side in their own area. The 4 girls are fine together having a dust bath and Hedwig seems much happier already and less nervey.

 

I know this isn't a permanent solution and I can see that Henry is pacing up and down the fence - which makes me feel like I'm being cruel to him now . Should I just try and reintroduce them all later today to see if he's calmed down?

 

AAahhh the chooks can cause such worry can't they!!!

 

thankyou again x x

[esta]

hi there, I have a cockeral too called Kev, he is a bantam game cock. He gets along with the bantams and the big chooks and so far there has been no problems. See how he goes over the week, if it gets any worse you might need to seperate them, maybe put 2 hens with the cockeral and then put Hedwig with the other one on the other side of the fence, see if this works, it might be a lot of hassle.

 

hope the poor chook gets better

[Abbey Road Girl]

Sorry, have no advice to offer, but can offer sympathy!

 

Very best wishes for a speedy resolution!

[farrowy]

Thankyou lots for the advice and good wishes I love this forum!!!!

 

Sadly - Henry shows no sign of returning to his old self. It's almost as though he's decided Hedwig is another cockerel and he keeps attacking throwing his spurs up at her.

 

We've now split them into two gangs during the day - the two original omlet girls together and the three bantams (including Henry the bully).

 

The good thing to come of this is it has made our minds up about getting a 2nd eglu Ordered a yesterday !!!!!! So each gang can have their own eglu and run for when we are not there during the day.

 

Also means that at some point (when things are calmer!!) we may try to get another couple of girls to go with the original omlet girls :-)

 

aaaaahh the ups and downs of chickens!

 

Thankyou again x