Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[cd8jbr]

I adopted 11 rescue hens on 19th December. I expected a bit of bullying while they sort themselves out but I've noticed one chicken is not allowed in the cube. I have put her in before and heard some scrabbling but assumed it was just them settling. I put her in tonight and saw and another chicken attack her - a full scale nasty attack - and she kept on going for her, I had to intervene and pull her out. I have put an eglu classic on a table in the run so she has somewhere to sleep but I don't really want this as a permanent solution.

 

They free range whenever the weather is up to it as they aren't very feathered or used to taking shelter - so they stay in when it's raining. I have put lots of feeding and watering stations so guarding them isn't possible.

 

Any suggestions? Will the bullying hen accept this one eventually or should I think of a bump a bit or the like.

 

Ive just checked and 8 hens hens are jammed in the nest box of the eglu rather than the living quarters - should I stop this? If so, how? Two seem to be 'on guard' although only one attacked. The good news is that my other little girl has settled in the classic and seems content for now.

 

Any advice gratefully received.

 

Many thanks.

 

Jill

[gavclojak]

I would stop them sleeping in the nest box, it's unhygienic and bad form

I would use a football or flower pot to block it off.

 

As for the bullied girl, just let them get on with it, obviously keep an eye on her and make sure she isn't getting bullied to the point of bleeding but it should eventually sort itself out. That said one of my lovely newbies faith who is the sweetest little girl still gets the odd dig off of flora, the second in command when she goes off to roost. I always feel really sorry for her but they seem to know their place in the flock and what is expected of them.

 

I personally wouldn't encourage the separate coops unless it was inevitable as you are your making hard work for yourself. Try not to listen....

[cd8jbr]

I think them going into the nest box is a recent development - they didn't do it at first, but I will stop them. I really didn't want to use the classic but I didn't want to put her in when she was getting so beaten up. Hopefully if they are all in the main part of the eglu tonight there won't be the same bullying. They seem settled enough when they are out - the worst of that is over, it was just the bed guarding which was worrying me it was just so vicious. Tonight it will be plenty of Vaseline on her comb, all in together and we'll see what happens! Fingers crossed!

 

Thanks for the advice it has helped a lot

 

Jill

[gavclojak]

The Vaseline works wonders:)

[cd8jbr]

It gets worse - two guard chickens! Even though it was dark at 5.00 the bullies were standing preventing three chickens from going into the cube. As soon as they go in they are grabbed and pulled around by either bully. I removed one but the other didn't give up - and these are nasty attacks. Even with Vaseline the combs of the others are showing marks.

 

I put the bullying two in the classic - and the rest settled well immediately. The two bullies settled too.

 

Is it best to leave them to it? Even though left to themselves some won't go to bed? Vaseline isn't helping much. I've had bullies before but this is a whole new level for me. Will it settle? I feel so bad for those attacked - their cries are pitiful and it just keeps on as the bullies keep at it. I'm worried what they will do, I really am.

[Beantree]

You'll need to keep them separated if you can cd8jbr, because injuries to combs can bleed profusely and prompt more pecking. This behaviour can often be caused by new laying hens defending their territory. All I can suggest is beak bits for the bullies if they need to stay together, but I don't know if it will work. Problem is bullied hens may stop laying and all the stress can make them ill. Sleeping in the nest box invariably leads to dirty eggs.

[sjp]

keep the bullies separate for a week or two to let the other girls bond and for you to figure out which is the main culprit of the other two which could become clear fair quickly then re introduce the 'nicer' one of the two back into the other group and keep the other one on it's own for a few days then let it FR with the other group for a few times letting it out after the main group this should make the bullies the bottom of the pecking order

this through assumes that the bullies aren't the mid - lower ranking birds

the only other option is to keep them as 2 groups for a few months and then hope that after FR them all together for a time that they re form on their own of with a little help into one happy mob always let the 2 trouble makers out last as for some reason the first ones out have the upper hand over the 'territory' i.e. they own it. It also gives any younger or timid birds time to find their safe place in the FR area