Omlet cube and run

[Luvachicken]

I am at my wits end with Melody, and to be honest Myrtle isn't the best either. They are both wyandottes and almost double the size of my pekins.

Melody definitely is the top chook but she is so viscious, not from boredom, but putting the others in their place, and then Myrtle joins in too.

The other day there was a big argument over the nest box, a lot of squabbling and squawking, between her and 2 of the pekins.

I have covered them in anti- peck, as I now have 2 naked necks of her making, but this hasn't helped.

 

Today was the most viscious I've seen her. They were arguing over the nest box again. Melody was like a bouncer at a nightclub. She literally dragged the pekins by the scruffs of their necks to the doorway and turfed them down the ladder. I'd even put in a cat carrier with aubiose in. When I looked at them closely she had pecked them so hard she drew blood on their combs.

It was horrible to watch. In the end, I managed to separate the 2 wyandottes in to the wooden part of the run, so that the 2 pekins could share the nest box and lay their eggs. Once they had done that and come back out, I let them all back in together. Straight away Melody went to the nest box to lay an egg. A little bit of harmony was restored.

 

I have one bumpa bit thing, which we are going to try and put on tomorrow, and I hope this solves the problem.

She is a bad girl and I don't know if I can face her anymore.

[mimi5]

Oh I really feel for you!! I had a simliar situation with Milly one of my pekins, infact all the "babies" still bare the evidence in the chunks missing from a lot of their feathers!!!! She never dared bully Molly (as she has always been top girl) but was a nest hog, tearing out feathers from anyone who dare lay at the same time and guarded the coop enterance at roosting time just as you described!!! Lots of screaming until she would finally let the babies in!!!

 

Sadly she died in the night suddenly 4 weeks ago (just after a quick bout of broodiness) I have no idea why.......but there has been more harmony since and the 4 "big" girls are getting along ok. Really worried about adding the little 2 from the calssic!!! So not even going there at the mo!!!

 

Maybe could you separate the 2 culprits within the run?? Might give the pekins chance to heal?

[Luvachicken]

If I separate them for a while, what happens when I reintroduce them and how long should I keep them apart ?

[daxigirl]

I rehomed Mavis (SP Wyandotte bantam) to someone who had banties her size. She detested PeeWee and Kazoo (Kazoo in particular) and used to chase and peck them at every opportunity, poor little things just spent all day running from her never getting treats, peace to scratch about or sunbathe. She was really nasty to them. Peace and harmony is at present restored with her departure and the littluns are coming out of their shells and have started laying and everything. They're happy and I'm very happy.

[Luvachicken]

I rehomed Mavis (SP Wyandotte bantam) to someone who had banties her size. She detested PeeWee and Kazoo (Kazoo in particular) and used to chase and peck them at every opportunity, poor little things just spent all day running from her never getting treats, peace to scratch about or sunbathe. She was really nasty to them. Peace and harmony is at present restored with her departure and the littluns are coming out of their shells and have started laying and everything. They're happy and I'm very happy.

 

This is something I had considered, but I will try the little bumpa bit you gave me first.

The 2 wyandottes are meant to be bantams but I suppose they do vary in size. One of the previous wyandottes I had was almost exactly the same size as my pekins though, and black and white speckly the same as these 2.

 

I'm glad harmony has been restored to your chickens

[L Marques]

That sound horrific i have only two pekins since september las year and one of them is in a seperate place now as she is broody and i gave her some eggs for her to hatch ,but they get on very well ,they are allways togeather if one moves an inch so does the other,and Sheela feels very lonely cause Angie is sitting on the eggs.i do not think that there is a "boss" "top girl" or whatever you call them between them ,they are just really good pals.

Mabe you should just keep one breed of chickens cause it sounds like is the bigger chickens are been mean to the small ones.I dont know much about chickens at all i dont even know what the breed you tallking about is like but i am asuming they are bigger than the pekins.I feel sorry for you and your poor little pekins ,hope someone can give you some good advice.

[Luvachicken]

Hi L Marques,

 

Yeah the 2 wyandottes are bigger than my pekins, and that could be the problem.

We are going to put the bumpa bit on her later when it stops raining a bit.

Fingers crossed we can put it on.

 

I must admit my pekins are little sweeties

[Luvachicken]

Well, we went to put the bumpa bit on Melody but her beak is too wide and so it won't fit.

Somewhere in our house I have some other bumpa bits - big black ones - but I have no idea where they have gone.

I need to order some tonight and hope they arrive soon.

 

Today seemed to be a bit calmer in the run, but then only 2 eggs were layed - but after yesterday I'm not surprised.

Why does everthing have to be so difficult ?