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

[Jules.]

friendly

She had her first major moult in December, & I was unable to catch her during that time. I put it down to the moult & that she wasn't laying.

She's got lovely new feathers now, which strangely have come through much darker, & I can only tell her apart from Poppy by her face, as Buzz has always had a larger comb & wattles. She was also first to come into lay.

 

Now she crouches for me only occasionally, & was a monkey to catch yesterday when she was my demonstration chicken at my hen party. Poppy will crouch at the drop of a hat, but kicks when picked up as if to say " put me down", & so I don't use her for demos.

 

Anyhow, Buzz has taken to leaping on top of poor Rosa ( who is bottom of the pecking order) a few times a day & acting like a cockerel When I see her do this I go over & press Buzz down gently to show her who's boss, but it doesn't seem to be working. I don't know if Buzz is laying again as at the most I am getting 3 eggs a dat from my 4 chickens.

 

Anyone any advice please? Is she hormonal?

[Ygerna]

I am no expert but wonder if after her moult she is now slightly more mature and so is trying to adjust the pecking order in her own favour A sort of Government re-shuffle for chickens maybe

[Plum]

She sounds really hormonal.

[Egluntyne]

That's right....it is a dominance thing.

[cluckbok]

Ooh I hope our Matilda will be ok, cause we going through the moult at the moment and she's not the demo chicken at our hen parties anymore ,cause she just keeps running off and hiding under the table! Rosie's our demo at the moment she's the only one you can get hold of!

[Jules.]

It is a nightmare. Cluckbok

 

Naughty hens!!!!

 

BTW Buzz was always top chook.

[Chickvic]

Must be the moult because Ruby is exactly the same - always the friendliest chicken but she hasn't started laying again yet and now very rarely crouches She is getting slightly redder in the face though but has not tried to mount Opal. Opal is very much top hen!