Sooo much pooping

[Guest]

Maud is the biggest and has the most feathers and she's picking on the others- Shalott's getting the worst of it as she's the smallest, least featheriest hen. I think we made a mistake putting the food trough near the pop hole as Maud hoards that one (even though there is one outside) and chases the other girls away. Mariana has found the food trough outside so she's ok and Fatima seems to be 2nd in command so Maud let's her eat with her but poor shalott ends up stuck in the coop, too scared to come out.

 

I've put Maud in solitary, outside. She's got food, water and shelter and can see the others but just can't get to them. This means Shalott is managing to get something to eat.

 

I think the solution is to put both feeders outside at either ends of the run so they ALL have to come out to eat and then Maud, hopefully, can't monopolise both feeders.

 

It breaks my heart to section her but It's better that she sulks for a bit than Shalott starves.

 

Any advice welcome, heres a pic of the set up- Maud is currently on her own outside.

 

I've only ha the girls 2 days and I've never had chickens before so hope I'm doing the right thing!!???

 

 

[Egluntyne]

I've read that it is a good idea to have 3 feed stations as the bossy hen can only "man" two at any given time.

[Guest]

just been on the phone to DH in tears, I'm a big wet nelly!

 

we'll try that. I can see now that it's not a good idea haveing one by the coop door though as Maud mans (or hens!?) that one constantly and only the bravest shall pass!

[Jools]

It sounds to me like you're doing the right thing in separating the bully to allow the others to feed too. Chickens learn behaviour, so they need to un-learn bullying and being bullied. Chicken keeping is great fun but it does have its stressful moments

[Guest]

just been out to talk to them and the others are all eating happily now that Maud isn't there, I apologised to Maud and gave her a couple of mang tout which she seems to like- As she liked the grass so much I assumed it was ok to give her a cple of mange tout?

[Christian]

As Egluntine said, i would advise 3 food stations away from eachother. The set up you have there is fab! The extra run with the plastic roof is lovely!

 

My girls won't eat mange tout, but all greens are fine (not avocado i believe). Cooked broccoli, raw spinach, peas etc are all wolfed down!

[Snowy]

Don't worry Poet, you are doing absolutely fine! Sometimes it is necessary to seperate them at first. I've done that if things get too lairy - they are probably fine together overnight. I gradually left mine together a bit longer each day before splitting them up. Be patient, it can take a few weeks but it's quite normal. They soon forget and become best buddies!

[Christian]

You could always try and let them free range together and sprinkle lots of tinned sweetcorn for them. That way they learn to feed together and hopefully will solve the problem?

[Jools]

I'd recommend the softly softly approach suggested by Snowy. They should settle down in time, you just need to be patient. Good luck and keep us posted

[Guest]

right, we've got two green troughs outside with mash in and 1 large coop cup with water in, Maud seems to prefer to stay outside and sometimes lets the others eat with her but mostly out of whatever trough she isn't using. She still chases shalott mercilessly though but god love her, Shalott keeps coming back for more.

 

We've also put 2 large coop cups inside the smaller run with mash in 1 and water in the other- shalott and Mariana (the 2 smaller hens) are in there eating quite happily at the moment, shalott keeps, what looks like, kissing mariana- as if she's trying to clean her beak for her or something- Mariana just screws her eyes shut and moves away, very funny.

 

Mariana and shalott are the 2 smallest hens, shalott has less feather than mariana. The pecking order seems to be determined out of size and featheriness. Mariana and Shalott are also paler (more ginger) than Maud and Fatima who are darker red, more rusty. Wonder if they're different breeds? Then again, Fatima gets along fine with the other 2, it's just Maud who doesn't get long with them but Fatima is tolerated by Maud!!?

 

Have sprinkled some tinned sweetcorn (in water but drained) and some of them have had a go at it.

 

I hope things go better t'row, things were slightly better today so I'm keeping everything x'd!!!!!

[Tweety]

It will get better Poet, honestly! I think that most people on this forum will have experienced something similar, and in many cases much worse, and things usually resolve themselves eventually. It's just horrible to watch them being so nasty to each other, but you have done everything you can by the sound of it and it is just a matter of time before they settle down. My girls still have the odd tiff, after 4 months together, but otherwise they are absolutely fine, so hang in there and try not to worry too much.

[Guest]

well, they're in bed now, shalott ate loads of sweetcorn, I hope it doesn't upset her tummy too much as they're not used to anything but mash but she woofed loads- oh god!

 

I'm a born worrier I'm afraid!!!

[Guest]

I don't know what I'd do without you lot!!!!!

 

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