Sat Sep 1, 2018, 09:41 AM
3Hotdogs (5,606 posts)
Pet Chickens problem. My daughter got into hobby chickens.
There were originally four chickens named, General Tso, Nugget, Tender and Fil-a. (Really). No, they won't be eaten when they finish laying.
Anyway, she bought two more and there was trouble introducing them into the cage. Nugget and Tender get along with the new ones. Fil-a and General T fight with the new ones.. The general is the worse offender. He claws at them and pulls out their tail feathers. My s-i-l demoted the general to Colonel. That hasn't helped. The colonel is now in solitary, in a pen that is next to the other five. Any thoughts on how to stop the aggressive chicken?
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16 replies, 3436 views
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Author | Time | Post |
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3Hotdogs | Sep 2018 | OP |
Corvo Bianco | Sep 2018 | #1 | |
Floyd R. Turbo | Sep 2018 | #3 | |
Corvo Bianco | Sep 2018 | #4 | |
Floyd R. Turbo | Sep 2018 | #2 | |
3Hotdogs | Sep 2018 | #5 | |
Floyd R. Turbo | Sep 2018 | #6 | |
procon | Sep 2018 | #7 | |
jberryhill | Sep 2018 | #8 | |
handmade34 | Sep 2018 | #9 | |
tonyt53 | Sep 2018 | #10 | |
The River | Sep 2018 | #11 | |
3Hotdogs | Sep 2018 | #12 | |
Bantamfancier | Sep 2018 | #13 | |
3Hotdogs | Sep 2018 | #14 | |
Tipperary | Sep 2018 | #15 | |
3Hotdogs | Sep 2018 | #16 |
Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 09:44 AM
Corvo Bianco (1,148 posts)
1. Rec'd but unable to answer.
I have no chicken experience but I like chicken tales.
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Response to Corvo Bianco (Reply #1)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 09:45 AM
Floyd R. Turbo (14,650 posts)
3. I prefer the wings! 😋
Response to Floyd R. Turbo (Reply #3)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 09:47 AM
Corvo Bianco (1,148 posts)
4. Thanks Floyd
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Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 09:45 AM
Floyd R. Turbo (14,650 posts)
2. Show it a box of cornflakes!
Response to Floyd R. Turbo (Reply #2)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 09:48 AM
3Hotdogs (5,606 posts)
5. Throwing in food helps. But that only lasts a couple of minutes.
Response to 3Hotdogs (Reply #5)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 09:51 AM
Floyd R. Turbo (14,650 posts)
6. Not a treat but a harbinger of things to come if it doesn't get it's act together!
Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 10:02 AM
procon (15,805 posts)
7. Get rid of the roosters if you have any.
You don't need a rooster to get eggs. They will fight continuously, and they can really wear out the hens in a very small flock. Chickens have a natural pecking order and you have to let them work out who is the boss. Make sure their pen is large enough and has obstacles to hide behind or jump up on so the lower ranks birds can escape. Logs, tree branches, even cardboard boxes will help.
You can do things to distract them like throw out scratch feed to keep them occupied. If it's safe, let them out out to range for a few hours. Offer a pile of leaves or lawn clippings to keep them busy. Give them a pile of sand to 'bathe' in, or get a shallow plastic container and put in a couple of inches of water so them can occupy themselves with a bath. |
Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 10:08 AM
jberryhill (62,444 posts)
8. Two words
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Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 10:14 AM
handmade34 (20,678 posts)
9. if roosters...
that is the problem... hens very seldom will fight like that
This is the DU member formerly known as handmade34.
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Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 10:41 AM
tonyt53 (5,737 posts)
10. My grandmother would wring its neck and pop it like a towel and be left holding just its head.
Pour scalding hot water over its body, pluck its feathers, cut out its innards, cut it up, and have it in the skillet of hot lard cooking in less than 15 minutes. Of those innards, she cooked the heart, liver, and gizzard too. If is was during the summer, she cooked it on a wood-fired stove on the back porch. She also did her canning there too.
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Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 11:02 AM
The River (2,615 posts)
11. Rose Colored Glasses
Ever hear the phrase "Pecking Order"?
Chickens, like a lot of other lifeforms, create a hierarchy or social order. pecking at (or picking on) others sorts things out. The rose colored glasses neutralize the color red, which chickens think is blood and they attack it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_eyeglasses |
Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sat Sep 1, 2018, 01:26 PM
3Hotdogs (5,606 posts)
12. No roosters involved.
Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 07:30 AM
Bantamfancier (255 posts)
13. Any chance you can
tell us what breeds you have?
Certain breeeds are known for their aggressiveness and won't work in a mixed flock. Procon gave you the answer to your issue. They have to work it out on their own. Once the pecking order is established, the beating will lessen but still continue. Giving them a place to hide helps a lot. It can be as simple as a couple of pieces of plywood in a A-frame shap, just big enough for one hen to get in. We have one rule in our flock: "Be nice or be tasty." Any agressive animal is shown the door. We have grandkids and will not allow any bird to challenge our little ones. |
Response to Bantamfancier (Reply #13)
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 09:50 AM
3Hotdogs (5,606 posts)
14. Update. The general was reduced in rank to major. Was then put in solitary confinement in a separate
pen. This was from Thursday to Saturday.
This morning, she was returned to general population without incident. I guess she learned her lesson. |
Response to 3Hotdogs (Original post)
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 08:42 PM
Tipperary (6,930 posts)
15. You say "he." Is that one a rooster?
Response to Tipperary (Reply #15)
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 11:25 PM
3Hotdogs (5,606 posts)
16. Again, all are hens. No roosters.
After the two days separation from the rest of the flock, things have settled down and Major Tso is not attacking the two new hens.
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