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| Jane,the little Araucana with Phyllis hiding away inside the broodybox |
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The victims of sustained and at time violent attacks react just like people can do when confronted with bigger and more aggressive individuals, they become shy, introverted and understandably depressed.creatures that hide away on the sidelines.Two of my hens have had a hard time recently. Phylis Diller , the odd looking frizzle poland bantam, with her nervy nature and odd looks has been battered to an inch of her life by a whole collection of different hens over the past few days. The attacks have reduced her to a bloody wreck
and it was heartbreaking to see this little pathetic scrap of a bird cowering underneath one of the hen house yesterday.
I caught her with my T shirt and cleaned her wounds with witchhazel and warm water, a procedure she sat through with rather moving stillness and then I placed her into her own run with another gentle little soul, a new araucana gray called Jane who arrived without tail feathers only a few days ago.
Immediately the two hens hid away inside their tiny coop, but did so calmly, sitting together side by side watching the field beyond their netting like two old ladies resting on a couple of beachfront deckchairs..
Just like people, all these little scraps of birds needed was to feel safe and secure.
Its not much to ask is it?
Even if you look like Phyllis Diller on crack
ESPECIALLY if you look like Phyllis Diller on crack. So glad they've got you.
ReplyDeleteI presume there is a reason for their nasty aggression. BO, ginger hair, glasses? Hens must have their preferences just like us. Yes, better simply to segregate them with a soul-mate.
ReplyDeleteI feel for Phyllis. Poor thing. Thank God you're around in your role as 'the equaliser'.
ReplyDeleteHen pecking order is a tough world indeed. But I've seen many a hen (and bullied people for that matter) turn around and give as good as they get when backed into a corner.
What bullies need is not more understanding, but a damn good kicking!
cro
ReplyDeletejust as in the human world,in chicken world, if you are different ,then hens will pick on you
I'm glad that you've given the bullied chickens a place they can feel safe, is this an on-going thing, or something that will be permanent ?
ReplyDeleteBad chickens !
~Jo
That's why you debeak them. Poor little girls. They must be so relieved to be safe.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see the likeness to Phylis Diller whether on crack or not!
ReplyDeletebabyjohn
ReplyDeletede beaking generally should only happen with more " intensive" chicken keeping.
free range hens on the whole are much happier and have space..so bullying does not really occur
having a good cockerel helps as "fights" generally are stopped before blood has been spilt
The problem with phyllis is that she is small and vulnerable AND DIFFERENT...a couple of pecks from a bigger bird can have a huge effect, and once a victim has been chosen, some hens can be relentless...cockerel, space and opportunity not withstanding.
once I build both birds up physically and (dare I say) emotionally..then I will let them out in the flock and they will be fine
Well for sure, if anyone can get them built up again, you can. Thank goodness they have someone to look after them.
ReplyDeletePoor Phylis, hope she recovers her spirit. You have to be particularly careful with Polands around other birds due to their skull defect which gives them their funky hairdo. One peck to wrong place can be fatal xx
ReplyDeleteYou know, we are not much different when it comes to differences in appearance......I think that is why so many try to 'blend in' so they won't be noticed. Poor Ms.Diller didn't have a prayer!
ReplyDeleteWe recewntly had 10 assorted babies abandoned by their poor excuses for mothers. 2 peacocks, 3 chickens, 3 turkeys and 2 ducks. We put them all together and they bonded as a family. one month later we let them all out of seclusion and THEY are now the toughest kids on the block. Thye go everywhere together. Hilarious
ReplyDeleteYes, sadly, birds are bullies. One of my hens is being mercilessly bullied by the rest and the cockerel is giving her no support. She is last in the hen hut at night and spends the night under the nest boxes rather than on the perch with the rest of them. I keep hoping they will get over it, so am leaving her at present, but if it gets any worse I shall have to isolate her.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you just build 'em another coop, and separate them off in another run?
ReplyDeleteI've had loads of problems (usually having to separate new cockerels as I don't have the heart to dispatch them) but now they have their own 'bit' of land they're all happy.
You've got enough land there John. Hey, me and Tom could even come and tackle the fencing for you...
As I'm learning fast, chickens do sometimes reflect the worst of our own traits, tis a good thing that they've got you there my man.
ReplyDeleteJohn
There's a space reserved in heaven for you, John.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have witnessed this with a couple of seagulls that visit us each year at breeding time and then disappear throught the winter.
ReplyDeleteWe call them Sid and Floppy and poor old Floppy is well and truly under Sid's control. He can be quite vicious some times.
Briony
Everyone needs their own JG to watch their backs!
ReplyDeletePoor Phyllis...
ReplyDeleteThere are bullies everywhere...
Haven't the hens all gotten along together before? Why would they suddenly attack Phyllis like that?
ReplyDeleteHope Phyllis recovers completely!
It totally cracked me up that you named your chick Phyllis Diller, because the name suits her so well. There's a bit of whimsy in the names you select, but nothing whimsical about how well you take care of them. (must be that nursing streak in you)
ReplyDeletePoor things... good job you know what you're doing. I love her frizzy head and your name for her is brilliant :)
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome! There are days we all need our own separate coops to hide in...
ReplyDelete"Bullied Girls" Unite! (and boys)
I'm glad that they have you to look out for them.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Phyllis has found a friend, John. It's a tough world out there!
ReplyDeleteThey're just jealous of her great hair!! I'm glad that she has you and now also Jane (Eyre?).
ReplyDeleteSorry mate, I don't look like Phyllis Diller on crack, I look like Steve McQueen on a Harley Davidson! Better safe than sorry.
ReplyDeleteI grew up on a farm in Iowa. We raised chickens and I got to see the term "pecking order" up close and personal. It never ceased to amaze how these docile little birds would suddenly all gang up on one of their own. I never understood and would always end up standing sentry, trying to protect the victim.
ReplyDeleteA lot like real life, though, yes?
Oh ,my rescue pigeons have their moments. Featherstone bullies Farnborough because he has the girly, Fenrir.
ReplyDeleteWhy all the F names? So we can say one of the F'ing birds!
Jane x
my life is so boring next to yours!
ReplyDeleteY'know, like that woman you mentioned in one of your recent posts, I was thinking about getting some chickens because I thought you could just put them in the backyard and they'd lay lots of eggs. Your blog has been quite a reality check!
ReplyDeleteI remember when our last dog became terminally ill, we'd take her for the usual walks around the neighborhood and on three different occasions, dogs that had seen her a hundred times and never looked twice, suddenly attacked her. Viciously. It was out of the blue and completely out of character for two of the dogs.
I sometimes wonder if one purpose for that particular instinct is actually to protect sick animals from the long and protracted suffering that goes with a wasting disease.
Not that Phyllis Diller has a terminal illness! Just thinking about our old dog. :-)
Dxoxox
Good plan! Survival of the fittest is difficult to witness. I give bully hens and roosters to the feed store. They find homes or a stew pot? I should dress them out myself, but I don't want to deal with the mess. Lazy?
ReplyDeleteAs if you don't have enough going on ...
ReplyDeleteThere is a blog that I look at occassionally because it is so beautiful, and they have posted some pictures of their fuzzy white chicken that would make perfect playmates for Phyllis Diller.
If you have a minute, look at:
http://brookegianetti.typepad.com/
The entry of Aug. 4 is entitled "patina style event in atlanta and a chicken update..."
Poor little Phyllis. Hopefully now that she has her own space and a new friend, she will recuperate quickly.
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to set up the collapsible rabbit run so that I can segregate the Dominique bantams from the Black Rocks. They have all got along perfectly well for nearly three years but since little Imogen had a leg problem, the big girls have taken to picking on her. It's got so bad now that they just keep pecking at and chasing her *sigh* Her poor little back is bald! At one point I thought she was going to peg out but her will to survive is obviously strong and she is sort of looking better ~ surprisingly ~ in her eyes, if you see what I mean. The BRs won't let her feathers grow back though, so methinks the time has come to move out the two bantams. Hopefully Imogen will then be able to build herself up again with some extra TLC and just her friend Martha for company :-)
Ohh, that's so saaad John Boyo. So how do I explain why I'm laughing my thongs off then!!
ReplyDeleteI was going to suggest you strategically place a small vanity mirror in the new cage for her...but after careful consideration, I really don't think I'm that cruel.