My cockerel has taken against one of the hens and is assault her . I ’ve separated them for now , but this is n’t practicable long - term . Can you give me any advice ? — Liz Blanche
When we commit to raising chickens , sometimes we unknowingly pay for a problem chicken into our chicken coop . It is n’t always a cock that have problem ; sometimes a hen is just as risky .
Roosters Vs. Hens
Unfortunately for roosters , most can be a serious nuisance , not only for nearby neighbor but for the flock , as well . If you ’re keeping a rooster in an urban or suburban area , you in all probability have just one cock if any at all . If that ’s the case , he ask to be of the uncommon angelic variety . These sheik are infield in the uncut , total gentlemen to your hens , and friendly toward their keepers . Good roosters protect their mountain , and they have manners . On farms , most roosters are cull for food . The spicy ace become someone ’s dinner , and only the good ones are continue for bringing up .
Often in an all - female peck , the air division of responsibility often includes one hen taking over the job of protecting the other girls . She ’ll become the voice of warning , and she ’ll even cluck along the top of a fencing with the voice of break of day . Even this dedicated biddy can be as much trouble as many rooster . In the case of my own spate - guardian , a crested Polish ( a stock known to be teachable and friendly ) , she ’s a bad testicle — an onslaught chicken . Lucky for her , we ’ve find out to sour around her behaviour .
Once you ascertain yourself with an fast-growing hen or cock , your options are svelte . Here are three things you may to do ease or eliminate tension in and around your mountain .
1. Isolation
Lock up the offending poultry alone to show it who ’s the boss . ( You . ) In rules of order for isolation to work , the razzing needs to see the spate going about its day without its meddling . Does it pluck on the hen when they ’re foraging ? It should have to watch them scrounge . Does it bully the hen when they eat ? It should have to watch them eat without its interference .
If none of your volaille can free range , set up a temporary tax shelter for the offender next to the coop so it can watch over the others go about their daily stage business . stay on enforcing closing off until his behavior changes .
rescind the isolation , and allow the chicken free range while the rest of the lot is locked up will not change its behavior .
2. Understanding
If a problem chicken is picking on other Gallus gallus , but not harming them , the behavior is part of the flock ’s pecking order . This is n’t a problem , per se , but this alpha chicken might see its custodian as a threat . translate its patterns can help the volaille custodian deal with its behavior .
My Polish hen is more protective when eggs are in the nest box . She also feels entitled to eat before the youthful in my pot . I ’ve learned when to avoid her , when to walk around her , and when to be sure she quell locked up , such as when we have backyard node . work around her behaviour , without condoning aggression , is key to harmony .
3. Culling
Nobody likes to talk about culling , but if an animal is causing meaning strong-arm harm to its keeper or to the chickens it ’s theorise to protect , it has to go . The fleet neck - break method is commonly accepted as a humane practice . Patricia Foreman has publish a clear tutorial in her book City Chicks ( Good Earth Publications , 2010 ) . Taking the fauna to a veterinarian to be euthanized is also an choice . Our own vet offered to accuse only $ 5 should we pick out to put down our problem biddy .
Avoid Rehoming
I did n’t mention rehoming because it ’s not a sound option . It ’s not fair to pass a dangerous Gallus gallus on to someone else . Work with the chicken , accommodate with the chicken or cull the chicken . Problem chickens that are rehomed ( peculiarly to farm ) or that are take to creature shelters are likely to be put down anyway .
