Well, this is unexpected.  Could there be a disturbance in “the force” affecting my chicken coop? For there is indeed tension and discord among the birds. After four years, one in particular has become an irrepressible bully. She’s been picking on two others mercilessly, pinning them down with her claws and pecking away while they squawk in terror. She hasn’t drawn blood yet, but I’m concerned she might, which would create even more havoc among the flock. Once a hen is wounded, others in the flock will attack it.

We had an episode of this bully behavior last year that I was able to quash by isolating her for a week.  I built a giant cage with PVC pipe and hardware cloth, big enough to hold a baby pool with shavings beneath a quick makeshift roost inside.  My husband calls it the “Chicken Jail.” I prefer the term “Chicken Rehabilitation Center.” Anyway, it seemed to do the trick, providing a reset in the coop dynamics.  But this year, the same tactic is not leading to reform, let alone peace and happiness.  Even while letting them all out to free range, where there’s plenty of room to spread out while foraging, she’s still going directly after the same two birds.  I cannot figure out what would trigger this sudden and dramatic change in behavior. Can you?

After 3 weeks of unsuccessful rehabilitation (isolation), I thought maybe she just needed a new flock, and a new pecking order.  So, I glumly offered her to a neighbor.  But after two hours with the new, bigger community, my neighbor called and said to take her back.  She was stressing out HER hens!

It’s been four weeks now of separation, and none of my girls seem very happy.  The tension seems to have affected egg-laying, too, at what should be peak production time.  Perhaps she needs a home with a rooster, where there’s a bigger bully than her to keep her in line.  The Monroe Co-Op says they might be able to find help.  Fingers-crossed, it works out.