Isolating a Mean Hen??

[artemis]

One of my hens has been pecking at all her fellows (except the other dominant hen, who is too busy being broody to be involved in this nonsense). 


It's not nice... if I isolate her alone - I do have a safe place to put her - will she be okay?    I'd rather not cull her but will, if that's what's called for.  

[maryellen]

It will bring her down in the pecking order hopefully . Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt. You have to seperate her for at least a week to 2 weeks to see if it works. Some hens wont change, but its worth a shot

[dawg53]

Yes, I agree with ME. Isolate the hen away from the flock unseen for about a week or two. Then reintroduce her. She'll discover that she's been knocked down in the pecking order real quick!
Another temporary trick is to wrap a piece of duct tape around her leg just above her feet. Dont wrap it too tightly. She'll spend more time trying to remove the tape than bullying others. (She cant remove it.) This is temporary though as she'll get used to the tape. When that time comes, use scissors to cut through the tape to remove it. It's best to cut the tape vertically up or down to remove it.

Ensure you have plenty of space inside your coop and pen to prevent picking and pecking. Boredom or overcrowding can cause this behavior. You can can hang a head of cabbage in the pen to distract them. Tie sturdy string around the head of nail, turn the head of cabbage upside down and gently hammer the nail into the center of the core. Then hang it somewhere in the pen, just above head level of your chickens. That'll keep them unbored and busy for sure.

[seminolewind]

All sounds good to me. I might do the duct tape thing on one hen.

[artemis]

Thanks. She moves today.

I'll also try the duct tape thing. Maybe first, since I need to buy some today for another purpose.

[seminolewind]

WHAT??? Artemis, you should never be without duct tape! It may be the difference between life and death!

[dawg53]

Keep in mind the duct tape trick is temporary, they get used to it after awhile. It's only a temporary distraction.
Walmart sells suet cake feeders. They open up at one end and you can put lettuce or cabbage, sliced tomato in them, or buy small flock block cakes for chickens at TSC and put it in the feeder. Hang it just above their heads so they have to work for it. Then sit back and watch the fun.
This will distract them for sure. They are inside the store in the garden section usually where the bird seed is located.

www.walmart.com/ip/Classic-Brands-Suet-Feeder-38092/38473463

[artemis]

May 8, 2019 9:54:35 GMT -5 seminolewind said:

WHAT??? Artemis, you should never be without duct tape! It may be the difference between life and death!


Well, I did have duct tape... I just simply forgot where I put it, so bought more!  

[artemis]

May 9, 2019 4:26:56 GMT -5 dawg53 said:

Keep in mind the duct tape trick is temporary, they get used to it after awhile. It's only a temporary distraction.
Walmart sells suet cake feeders. They open up at one end and you can put lettuce or cabbage, sliced tomato in them, or buy small flock block cakes for chickens at TSC and put it in the feeder. Hang it just above their heads so they have to work for it. Then sit back and watch the fun.
This will distract them for sure. They are inside the store in the garden section usually where the bird seed is located.

www.walmart.com/ip/Classic-Brands-Suet-Feeder-38092/38473463

Thanks.  I've made them their own suet/lard feeders early spring.  Render down pork lard or lamb fat, add in millet, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and mealworms.  They do like that!   (I probably didn't do it often enough...)  

[seminolewind]

I also put up a few obstacles to help the victim get away from the nasty hen.