Single hen

[Nickytango]

Hello,

 

I am need of advice please.

 

About one month ago, I adopted 3 ex battery hens and for the first week everything seemed great.

 

However the last 3 weeks one hen keeps pecking the lady with hardly any feathers. She will chase her around the run even when she goes for food an water.

 

I've read on forums about this issue and they all say they are currently establishing their pecking order which I was happy to let them get on with.

 

But yesterday things took a turn for the worst!

 

The chicken with hardly any feathers didn't come out of the hen house at all! I had to give her separate food and water in the hen house.

 

I am wondering whether I should either get another ex batt to make the numbers up to 4 or should I think about separating the bully from the other 2?

 

Or am I been to over cautious?

 

Hope someone can help?

[alih]

I rescued 2 exbats a few weeks ago and the same thing happened- one hardly daring to come out to eat and drink for 4 days. I used to let the bully out to free range in order for the other one to have a bit of peace to eat and drink for about an hour a day but otherwise left them to it. Not nice to watch but it stopped as soon as it had started after about 4 days. All of a sudden there was peace. Unless there is blood drawn I would leave them as long as you can give the little one some time alone to stock up on food and water.

 

It should settle down soon.

[Nickytango]

Thank you for your reply.

 

I shall try letting the bully one out into the garden.

 

Hope you have had plenty of eggs???

[Tweety]

If you get another ex batt to make up the numbers I think you will be adding to the existing problem, I'm afraid! As long as no injuries are being caused, and the victim has a chance to eat and drink, I think you will just have to let them get on with it. I had the same problem with my 4 ex batts - one of them was particularly aggressive and it was quite distressing to watch - but it did eventually settle down and they are all fine now. This pecking order business is something they have to go through, but it should settle down in due course.

[flowerangelk8x]

i was having a bit of trouble with my chickens, i only have two. someone recomended that i rub some tee tree oil on the back of the neck of the chicken that was being bullied.

 

i thought well can't hurt... it natural stuff.... and it seemed to have an effect. i only put it on her twice and the whole thing carmed down..!

 

 

worth a try? good luck .

[Babbington]

Hello

Erm, this i my first post so bear with me!

Jan, the biggest of my 4 hens (which arrived early this morning!) has spent the whole day attacking the other 3, and they are now hiding in the cube house looking down at her nervously as she struts about. If any of them ventures down she goes for their necks. Naughty girl! I'm letting them get on with it at the moment because I figure it's all about settling in but I have a couple of unrelated questions which I'd love some thoughts on...

- None of the 4 seem to have found the glug yet. After their journey from Omlet to London I am a bit worried that they must be terribly thirsty. I think I should put a bowl in or something but then I think they'll have to find the glug eventually. I've made it as obvious I can (poking to release water) but they're completely clueless! How long before I should give them a bowl to drink from?

- Will they put themselves to bed when it gets dark so that I can close the door? I'm asuming so but as Jan has been such a bully I wonder if she'll chase them out?!

 

I know I'm sounding panicky but it's amazing how much I worry already - I want to be a good Mum! Any/all responses gratefully received!

[Nickytango]

I shall defintely try

Hello

Erm, this i my first post so bear with me!

Jan, the biggest of my 4 hens (which arrived early this morning!) has spent the whole day attacking the other 3, and they are now hiding in the cube house looking down at her nervously as she struts about. If any of them ventures down she goes for their necks. Naughty girl! I'm letting them get on with it at the moment because I figure it's all about settling in but I have a couple of unrelated questions which I'd love some thoughts on...

- None of the 4 seem to have found the glug yet. After their journey from Omlet to London I am a bit worried that they must be terribly thirsty. I think I should put a bowl in or something but then I think they'll have to find the glug eventually. I've made it as obvious I can (poking to release water) but they're completely clueless! How long before I should give them a bowl to drink from?

- Will they put themselves to bed when it gets dark so that I can close the door? I'm asuming so but as Jan has been such a bully I wonder if she'll chase them out?!

 

I know I'm sounding panicky but it's amazing how much I worry already - I want to be a good Mum! Any/all responses gratefully received!

 

Thank you I don't feel so alone now about the bullying

 

They soon will master the glug facility you will be amazed how quickly they pick things up

 

The first Night I had to put the girls to bed, but I think I was too hasty cos the the next night they went to bed on their own..

 

Enjoy your ladies

[chick wiggle]

Hi

Im in excatly the same situation. my girls, only got them yesterday, seem to be ignoring the glug. So looking forward to a few answers hopefully. Just keep an eye on them i suppose

[noyan]

if they don't get on with the glug you could put it lower down so they can drink from the top. I showed mine how to use it by taping the nipples. all but one got it so i put glug near the ladder so they can get at it from both directions.

[Babbington]

if they don't get on with the glug you could put it lower down so they can drink from the top. I showed mine how to use it by taping the nipples. all but one got it so i put glug near the ladder so they can get at it from both directions.

 

Thanks for the idea - I might go with that if they don't find the glug tomorrow. I relented in the end and put a bowl of water in and they were SO grateful (I'll take it out at bedtime though - don't want them to get used to it!). Had to take big bully Jan out and free range her for half an hour to give the others a break and chance to drink! I hope they're planning a mutiny against her but I doubt it - they seem quite happy to get beaten up!

[alih]

It will settle down. The superglug is something they will get the hang of but I too put a bowl of water in there to start with until they noticed it and somehow got the hang of it.

 

They may not all go in the first night so you will have to coax them but the bully should be calm after dark so it generall is ok at night.

 

Keep up the good work, it all sounds normal. Do keep us informed and pics are always welcome!

[Babbington]

Hi All

 

Well, it's day 2 and Jan is still being a terrible bully.

 

We've had them all 4 out free ranging today and the other three try and avoid her mostly. Occasionally they all four scratch around together but as soon as you put them back in the run she attacks any/all of the others and they now just hide up in the cube all the time.

 

Every time I go down the garden and check on them the 3 bullied hens will venture down the ladder but she tells them off so severely (pulling one off the top rung by her neck feathers and beating her up and sending her flying back into the cube) that they daren't come down, which means they cant eat or drink. I don't have anywhere to separate her to, but the others look so desparate to come down it's driving me crazy!

 

What should I do?

 

P.S. THEY STILL WON'T USE THE SUPERGLUG!!!!!

 

[Chook n Boo Mum]

When I first got them my Chooks refused to use the superglug so as I had a peanut glug, I just went with that ( for the record, they now all use the 3 superglugs and the little cage cups of water equally...plus any dirty puddle, bucket of Eglu cleaning water, dripping tap etc etc etc!!!) If they want to they are quite capable of using the equipment provided, sometimes it just takes another hen to show them, they refused to be taught by me!!

 

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable about such matters will be alone soon, but do you have another house or cage where you could separate Jan for two or three days to let the others settle in? Then re-introduce her, she will become a "newbie" so will be lower in the pecking order.

 

I was almost in tears with my three when Snowdrop was being bullied, she used to shoot out of the run as soon as the door was opened & hide on my lap. Everything settled as quickly as it had flared to be honest, but it was very painful to watch at the time.

 

Make sure you have more than one food and drink station too, this helps enormously, she can't police more than one at a time!!

 

If you have any problems with them not going to bed, try shining a torch into the house through the egg port - sounds odd, but does work!

 

I hope peace breaks out soon, it's almost more painful to watch than be involved at times!

 

Sha x

[Babbington]

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable about such matters will be alone soon, but do you have another house or cage where you could separate Jan for two or three days to let the others settle in? Then re-introduce her, she will become a "newbie" so will be lower in the pecking order.

Well I free ranged Jan for about an hour and a half earlier and when I returned her to the run the others stood their ground (I was so proud). All four currently scratching about together happily - but I'm not expecting t to last - although so many of you have said it stopped as soon as it started that I have to wonder!

 

Make sure you have more than one food and drink station too, this helps enormously, she can't police more than one at a time!!

Going to order another grub and a regular glug - have given in and lowered the superlgug to the bottom so that they drink out of the top - they're so relieved.

 

If you have any problems with them not going to bed, try shining a torch into the house through the egg port - sounds odd, but does work!

They did all finally go to bed last night (the bullied three crammed nervously in to the nest box and Jan on her own in the "sleeps six" accommodation - typical!)

 

I hope peace breaks out soon, it's almost more painful to watch than be involved at times!

I live in hope! Thanks so much for all your help - it's fantastic to know there's always somebody who is going through/gone through the same thing and to be told it'll be ok!!!

 

xxx

[alih]

I free range my bruisers to give the others a chance of peaceful eating and drinking so I would keep on doing that. Failing that you can try separating her if you have spare accommodation, or spraying her with ukadex to stop the pecking.

 

Progress may be slow but it will happen.

[alih]

How's it going Nickytango and Babbington? Is there peace?

[Abbey Road Girl]

Mine learned to use the Super Glug to some extent because when I was first clumsily filling it from above some water trickled down (the one trickle-down theory that might actually work!) which gave them a clue as to where they would find water.

 

That probably gave them the idea that the Glug was a source of water!

 

Nonetheless, as soon as they are let out to free-range in the afternoon, their first port of call is mucky water which has accumulated here and there.

[Nickytango]

How's it going Nickytango and Babbington? Is there peace?

 

Hi, no still bad. I've resorted to giving her seperate eating and drinking. some people say this is bad idea and others say this is a good idea LOL. So I'm a little confused

[alih]

As long as they can all see each other while eating and drinking it's fine - she does need to eat and drink in peace. i am currently letting my babies eat and drink for a few hours in the morning before letting the naughties out as once they are out the babies just hide. it's awful isn't t but I have done it before and it does turn out ok in the end, just takes time. i have ordered some anti-peck spray and bumper bits for the 2 bullies which should help. good luck

[Mutrix Farmers]

We've still got our bully isolated after nearly 4 weeks. They can all see each other, and they free range together perfectly for hours, then all of a sudden she will attack for no reason. Jess (the bullied chook) goes mental if we put them all in the same run, and they definitely can't sleep together yet.

 

I've bought anti-peck rings now, just need to work out how to put them on, and anti-peck spray to see if that works.

 

My nerves can't take much more of this, and neither can poor Jess.

 

Hope things improve for everyone experiencing introduction problems.

[Nickytango]

As long as they can all see each other while eating and drinking it's fine - she does need to eat and drink in peace. i am currently letting my babies eat and drink for a few hours in the morning before letting the naughties out as once they are out the babies just hide. it's awful isn't t but I have done it before and it does turn out ok in the end, just takes time. i have ordered some anti-peck spray and bumper bits for the 2 bullies which should help. good luck

 

 

Ok never heard of anti peck spray. I'm off to google that one

[alih]

I have gone for the cheaper option and bought Johnson's but many here use Ukadex which is more expensive but apparently very effective.

 

Just fitted the bumpa bits so will see if that makes a difference

[Abbey Road Girl]

I have gone for the cheaper option and bought Johnson's but many here use Ukadex which is more expensive but apparently very effective

 

Alih and anyone else with experience with Johnson's, is it both as effective and less horrible smelling as Ukadex? Perhaps we need a comparison test as with laundry detergents.

 

I never knew that there was an alternative.

[alih]

I have experience of neither sof ar but will certainly let you know what I think of the Johnson's. The ukadex is meant to be vile smelling. Am sure others with experience of both will be along soon

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I got the Johnson's one today & slathered it around the Orpies necks...smells rather nice actually! How often do people reapply it?

 

Sha x