what to do if one of your chickens is getting picked on
Todays' article tackles one of the least endearing qualities of our beloved hens – chicken bullying.
Information technology is more than than establishing the 'pecking club'- it is systematically picking on 1 or two hens for no apparent reason.
Bullying tin exist limited to feather plucking or escalate into full-blown warfare, with the receiving hen existence severely injured or possibly killed.
In this article, nosotros will cover the usual causes of bullying, how to cease them pecking each other, and finally, what to do when you need to intervene.
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The Pecking Order Equally It Relates To Craven Bullying
This is merely a cursory rehash of the pecking club to refresh your memory. If y'all desire to get more than in-depth information, delight come across our article on the pecking order.
The pecking order is a complex relationship construction inside the flock. A birds' place inside the flock is determined by age, ambition, personality, etc.
A hen who wishes to rise to the meridian will exist assertive with her flock mates ensuring authority over them commencement.
When she is integrated into the flock, she will initially exist at the lesser, merely she will challenge the more timid hens and rise through the ranks accordingly.
When viewed from the outside, this beliefs can seem like bullying, but this particular behavior has a gainful purpose and is usually short-lived.
It will stop when i of the antagonists gives way.
Bullying is a sustained behavior that really has no purpose other than to intimidate or harm another hen.
Allow'south look at some of the usual causes of bullying now.
Usual Causes of Chicken Bullying
There are 4 principal causes for bullying to erupt:
- Stress
- Boredom
- Sickness
- Overcrowding
Stress
Chickens dear routine, and anything that changes their routine can lead to stress.
The major stressors are new members in the flock, death of a flock mate, modify of feed, new accommodations, and a host of other minor things.
Usually, they deal with stress by going off lay for a few days, being quieter than usual, but on occasion, the stress can trigger ane hen to human action out of character and become aggressive to a flock mate(s).
Stress can likewise be caused by the presence of a predator or an eager subcontract dog lurking about.
Boredom
Winter-fourth dimension is the usual time for boredom assailment. They can't or won't leave in the weather condition, and they take lilliputian to exercise, so feather picking starts.
If it stayed as a minor thing with occasional picking, that would be acceptable, only it tin can escalate into a frenzy of picking past several hens.
The victim is usually terrified to go anywhere near the bully girl(s) and hide for most of the day. She volition likely be frightened to become into the coop at night besides.
They may keep her from eating and drinking, and so it is important to accept more than one feeding station available and so that she can eat in peace.
Also, make sure to read our chicken winter colorlessness busters to avoid this type of problem.
Sickness
Chickens know intuitively when one of their own is sick. In the wild, chickens would drive a ill chicken from the flock as she becomes a liability for the remainder of the chickens.
This can happen in our domestic hens too. They will pluck at her, driving her away from the flock.
Overcrowding
Probably the number i cause of bullying. Many craven folks are guilty of impulse buying or hatching, thinking one or 2 more birds won't hurt.
In practiced conditions with free-ranging that may concur, but in winter – not so much.
Remember, each large bird requires 4sq.ft/bird in the coop and 8sq.ft/bird in the run.
If there are tight quarters, it's a given that mischief will break out.
Recollect about how you would like to spend the winter with your family in one room all the time. As much as you may dearest your family unit – nerves volition get frayed, and tempers may flare.
Read how much room do chickens need for more than assist.
Now we know what the usual causes of bullying are, let'southward look at preventing it.
How to Stop 'Bully' Hens
If you notice some modest anti-social stuff going on, try to figure out why it's happening.
Have there been recent stressors for them?
Is there anything you can do to change or aid them?
You can partially alleviate winter boredom with fun things for them to practice – cabbage tetherball treats such as melon, zucchini, or cucumber to peck at, flock blocks, or handfuls of scratch for them to eat.
Can yous entice them to go out each mean solar day, even for a brief spell? Sometimes, a shoveled surface area with straw or hay is thrown downwards enough to get them outside.
I will frequently throw some fresh straw and scratch into the coop and let them do their thing – it gives them something to take their minds abroad from anti-social habits.
If you suspect i of the ladies may be unwell, requite her a skillful cheque over. If you feel the demand, you tin isolate her in 'sickbay,' but in doing so, you may make her problems worse.
Re-integrating her could become a real problem for yous and her. I will practise everything I can to avert separating her from the flock considering it tin cause issues further down the road.
Obviously, if she is severely picked on, she will need to be isolated for her own rubber.
If you plan on chicks in early on leap, she may have to go in with them for successful integration.
The only existent solution to overcrowding is either to thin the flock or expand the room they take somehow.
Suppose it's possible to move some of the hens to carve up quarters. That would be ideal. I would move the hens lower on the pecking order so they can have a break from the bully girls.
This volition also re-set the pecking order in both camps, and then for a cursory flow, you may meet some squabbling as they get settled in their new positions.
It is not platonic just may save some of the lower hens from a miserable wintertime.
Extra Steps to Stop Chicken Bullying by Your Hens
Bully Hen Diversion Techniques
We have already mentioned some diversion therapies in a higher place, but what happens if you see the bullying happening in front of you?
I have used a h2o pistol in the past. A well-aimed squirt to the offender every bit she pecks at her flock-mate can finish her in her tracks.
This repeated over fourth dimension will stop the behavior, only you will need to spend a lot of time observing and dealing with these behaviors.
Some other flim-flam that has been used successfully is the 'pebble tin can.' Get an old tin can, make full it about 1/3 full with pebbles, and tape shut.
Make sure information technology is well taped!
When you witness bad behavior, shake the can vigorously. The hens will all stop what they are doing to see what the hideous dissonance is!
This gives the victim time to move and also stops the bully hen by distracting her. I haven't used this one, then I can't say how successful it is, just it sounds similar a good idea.
Upping your game
Then Ms. Bossy has not taken the hint – what now?
There is a product out there called 'pinless peepers.'
They are something like sunshades for chickens… with a subtle deviation; they cannot see what is in front of them!
These 'glasses' stop the chicken from seeing what is straight in front of her.
She can see to the sides, can do the normal things chickens do except pick feathers!
Many folks have used them and take been delighted at the results. You can buy a pack of 6 for around $xv.00.
Some companies recommend that you lot use a special pair of pliers to use them, just others state that soaking them in warm h2o or leaving them in the sun for a while makes them malleable plenty to apply.
The peepers fit into each nare of the beak and are held in place past the beak.
Concluding Resort: Jail!
The ultimate penalisation – chicken jail! If your ambitious hen will not be reformed gently, she needs to practise some hard time.
A dissever cage away from the ladies simply somewhere they can come across each other is perfect.
How much time will depend on the offender of the chicken bullying? Some take the hint and tin exist returned to the flock subsequently a couple of days, but others may be determined non to be reformed.
This exercise resets the pecking gild. Life goes on without her in the flock, and anybody adjusts appropriately, then when she is returned to them, she has to start all over once more from the bottom up.
The average 'jail sentence' is three-vii days, simply some will need more than time in the 'clink.'
Every once in a nifty while, I hear of a hen that refused to be reformed and concluded up beingness given away.
This really is the last chance for her – perhaps being in a new flock intimidates them enough to brand them acquit; I don't know, I accept never had to do this.
What if The Rooster is The Bully?
From fourth dimension to time, a rooster can be the biggest bully in the coop.
If your hens are getting browbeaten up, information technology might just be that he is a little besides ambitious with his mating processes.
Hens that become injured from an overeager roo may lose feathers, contract infections in open up wounds, or fifty-fifty go severely stressed out.
If your rooster needs to chill, yous can try separating him for a short time to see if your hens recover from a rough rooster and the stress he has caused.
You can then endeavour to reintroduce him to the flock.
In many cases, he volition return to his old means. In this case, you can consider de-spurring your rooster.
Hopefully, regularly maintained spurs would cut downward on injuries incurred during mating.
Unfortunately, a rough rooster may need to be culled or given away to a new flock.
When roosters are aggressive toward hens, there isn't much that y'all can practise to change their beliefs, merely it'due south ever worth a endeavour.
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Happy Coop Door
- Works Rain or Shine so yous don't have to allow them out in inclement conditions.
- Get alee and become those extra hours of slumber or go on vacation, our door has you covered.
- Protect your Chickens from Predators with our cocky-locking feature
Our Selection of Treats for Our Chickens
Summary on Chicken Bullying
We have given yous some options here to finish your feathered bang-up from plucking her flock mates naked!
Every bit we mentioned, space is all-important. Provide enough space, darkened hiding spots, boxes, etc., so the victim tin can find a peaceful place to sit.
Also, ensure there are sufficient feeding and drinking stations for the ladies.
The pinless peepers certainly audio effective, are painless, and seem to be relatively piece of cake to apply – they may be a great solution for you.
We hope that your girls will live in peace and harmony together, and you lot won't have to resort to any of these tactics, but at least you now have some ideas of what is available should you lot have chicken bullying.
Have you ever had a great hen – how did you manage her? We would dear to hear near your solutions in the comments section below…
Read Side by side: 20 Surprising Things Yous Didn't Know Almost Chickens.
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Source: https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/chicken-bullying/