Angry hen

[Verinda]

My hen Milly has always been extremely peaceful...up until now! She seems to suddenly have it in for our very gentle dog Molly.

Poor Molly might be trotting along or even fast asleep and suddenly she's being attacked by Mad Milly (well you've heard of Mad Max!). Fortunately she isn't an aggressive dog so just tries to get away. But today I noticed that Milly is stalking Molly!!! She sneaks through the undergrowth waiting for a chance to pounce!

Her aggression is making the other three aggressive too, yesterday all four were attacking the dog, with Milly in the lead of course, and it's remarkably difficult to stop four demented hens all at the same time.

When Molly's not around they couldn't be a more happy and peaceful bunch. This has only started happening in the past few days. Has anyone any ideas?? At all??

Or do I need a hen psychiatrist?!

[Scarlet]

This may be totally rubbish but have you checked for mites in your coop?

A friend had chickens and one became very aggressive, I went over to have a look and the coop was infested. After powdering her and the others, the coop cleaned out etc, she calmed down.

[Verinda]

Well, I am aware of mites, from reading this forum, and do keep an eye out for them, I cleaned out the hen house only recently and didn't see any...then again I haven't ever seen them before.

Are they visible or do I have to really hunt for them?

[Scarlet]

Please bear in mind that this may be a total goose chase... They aren't that visible during the day although if you look in the joins or cracks of the coop you may spot them, you may see what looks like dust they are that tiny. Do you have a large door on your coop that is closed? Open that and look at the door jams, run your finger down - you may squish some. During the summer months they seem to come from nowhere!

It may also be that she's just found her feet and she's top dog!

[Verinda]

The henhouse is really a shed, the door is open all day then I close it in the evenings but my husband cut out a little trap door so I leave that open till they've gone to bed. Hmm I will go mite hunting tomorrow.

But my feeling is you're right, that she's decided she's the boss! I just hope things do not become any worse.

Thank you for your help

[Bigmallly]

I don't know anything about keeping chooks but sounds like a bit of separation/isolation may be in order.

[Verinda]

Yes, except that would mean keeping the hens in their run which is now nothing but bare soil and I feel too mean!

Although it might come to that if things get any worse. I'm afraid the dog will run out of patience and that could spell trouble!

[Glutton4...]

I have two that are really nasty and spiteful at the moment, but that's because they're broody!

My previous Hens, mainly ex-Batts, used to stalk our Cat - that was hilarious to watch.

[Verinda]

Mine are ex-batts. Are they more aggressive than regular hens?

Fortunately my four never seem to bully each other, they just take it out on the dog!!

[kathyd]

You may find that if the dog growls or otherwise fights back (gently let's hope!) that the hens will get the message... One of my cats thinks she's a chicken, and usually comes to share breakfast with them. For ages she was low in the chicken hierarchy, but one day after a chicken pecked her she batted it back with her paw - very gently - and she now seems to have become a Senior Chicken with Enhanced Porridge Access Rights! Lol . Maybe poor Molly needs some assertiveness training... Perhaps you could squirt the chickens with a squeezy bottle or something if they attack the dog for no reason? Just to let them know it's not acceptable? Or would that be cruelty to chickens??

PS: I don't suppose she's intruding on somewhere they're laying eggs is she? It could be 'that' time of the year when the hormones kick in and they get a bit defensive?

[Verinda]

I think the squeezy bottle is a good idea! A small squirt couldn't be too cruel could it?!

I kept them in their run today and felt horribly mean! So I think I'll try squirting them tomorrow! They only lay eggs in their shed, no matter where they are they hurry back to the shed to lay and Molly never goes in there or in their run so I don't think it could be a defensive thing.

Molly did sort of swing round at Milly yesterday and she (Milly) did seem slightly alarmed...for a few minutes but it didn't last unfortunately. Molly needs a lesson from your cat

[kathyd]

Good luck with it Verinda, let us know how it goes! I still think you should watch the chooks carefully just in case they're discovering the joys of laying in bushes though - mine seem to go through a phase each year where they lay somewhere in the garden, and it can takes days to notice and then find out where they are... They may also be looking for somewhere else to lay if, as Scarlet suggested, there are mites in the shed. When we had mites I found them initially under the roosting bar in the coop, which lifts out. I lifted it and there was a dark patch underneath. When I looked closely in brighter light, the patch moved - dozens of mites. After that we took the coop to pieces to clean and treat with Creocote (B&Q, about £10 a tin), and they scurried from every crack, every joint.. tiny little things, smaller than a flea. Not red unless they've just fed, despite their name. If you haven't already treated your shed with Creocote it might be worth doing to be honest, even if you don't think you have mites at the moment. Scrub really hard into every nook and cranny you can find, and let it dry for 2 or 3 days before putting the chickens back in (can you sort out alternative accommodation for them for a couple of days? Boxes in the garage or something?). Then chuck diamataceous earth everywhere before putting fresh bedding in. xx

[Scarlet]

Have you checked for mites Verinda? Definitely the weather for them and if you are keeping them in a shed there are plenty of places to hide. You don't see them unless you actually look.

[Verinda]

Well I did check yesterday but it's quite a large shed so I could have missed them. I'd better have a another search today. Is there any other alternative to creosote? It's so horrible. I remember my dad used to paint it on our fence and the smell used to make me feel sick.

And thank you for your help, I do appreciate it as I am still quite new to keeping hens.

[Nicos]

OH used a lime wash on our stone walls in the hen house, mixed with a bit of casein to stop it powdering.

Not heard of anyone doing inside a wooden hen house before but it works for us!