Rethinking this whole chicken business

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KanoasDestiny

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My Red Star, Jen, has been laying eggs almost daily for the past five weeks. About a week ago, my unknown breed Pacey (who's brother, Joey, is the spawn of Satan!) started laying eggs. She is averaging every other day, but they are always really warm, which makes us believe that she lays on them constantly. My Americana began laying yesterday. So now, all three of them are laying and they are using the same nesting box even though they have three to choose from.

The hens have always laid together at night time. Well Saturday night I noticed that Pacey was pecking the other two, like she didn't want them laying with her, even though she was in the normal spot. Yesterday I had to work late, and my husband told me that Pacey was chasing the other two girls around. This morning I witnessed it myself. The other two hens are scared of her, even though she is a lot smaller then them. She follows my red star around and grabs her by the neck every chance she gets. My americana is hiding in the corner out of sight.

So far, there isn't any feathers being pulled out. But last Friday, I heard some hens on the next street over going at it. Is this some temperary hormonal thing now that they are all laying? Or do you guys think it will be a permanent thing? Her brother killed a new hen last Fall, so I'm really starting to panic that she might become just as aggressive and it might get dangerous. She's always been jealous when I showed attention to the other girls because she was my hand raised baby. But she has never acted like this. They have gotten along really well up until a couple days ago.
 
Hmm...I'm not sure. We have had chickens for over 5 years now (except we just sold the rest this January) So I've had my share of experience with em. I remember now--a few years ago--first time we got chickens--we ordered barred rock chickens, but when they all grew up and got their feather, we noticed one was a different breed that we didn't know. The other chickens constantly abused it and pecked at it. We were new to chickens so we didn't really know what to do, then one day it died. It was around the time they started laying. Okay so that story wasn't help at all but it kinda relates to your problem. I hope everything works out for you! Good luck =)
 
She may be territorial to the nesting box and other hens if she is wanting to set on her eggs. When one of our hens decided to set they became more aggressive towards the others.
 
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I wonder if Pacey is trying to set. She is a little young for it but different breeds reach the point of wanting to hatch their eggs at different ages. If she is at the point in her life where she is going broody she will be inclined to stay on the nest, aggressively drive anyone and every one away from her clutch and even start pecking at you perhaps when you go to collect the eggs. Of course with no rooster in your pen your eggs are not fertilized so she can't hatch them anyway but she won't know that. Just a thought, its the only thing I've seen that makes a chicken go from friendly to aggressive. You might have to find a way to give her some space until she gets over it.
 
She is broody!!!

Shes trying to hatch eggs and will be like this for about a month or so. I have 4 currently acting like this. Very common in small breeds.
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Also, hens fight/argue to use the same box. If ya only have 3 hens, then 1 box is all ya need. I have approx 35 hens and only 5 nesting boxs. And 2 of the 5 are just 1 big ones. I tell customers that buy chicks from my work, 2 laying boxes per dozen hens. Otherwise they prefure to share or fight over the same one. LOL

Just take the eggs and let her sit on a empty nest, she will eventally give up and become her normal self again once her fever goes away.
 
Heres what I see time to time.

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My faveroit is when ya walk up to them and they poof up & start chattering at ya and peck ya as you look for eggs. I always laugh as I know their swearing at me to get away.

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Thank you guys. She seems to be doing it outside of the nesting area as well. When I fed this morning, she kept following the others pecking at them and chasing them from 'her' food. Like she's trying to bully them.
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Dawson was almost killed by my rooster when he murdered our other one, so she is really docile and scared over everything. I worry about her most.
 
Yep, she sounds broody.

My broody hens peck at other hens/roos too when away from the nest. They constently cluck and peck at anyone who comes near them including roos/me/the barn cat. After they get a quick fill, they run back to the nest to sit some more. My one hen whos super friendly is currently broody again. Shes a bear to the other hens while out of the nest. She even grabbed a 3 month old chick and scared it to death and pulled a few feathers from its back this morning while feeding. Most time the other birds just keep their distance from the broodys as they are semi vishious at these times.

If I dont want my hens to be broody anymore, I just take away their nesting boxs for a few days. Everyone else that needs to lay eggs, pick a corner of the coop and lay there during that time. Once broodys stop being broody, boxs go back.
 
Thank you so much for your responses. I feel much better now. It just worried me because her brother is straight psycho and I didnt know if maybe it's in the genes. I had to work late today and the very first thing I did when I came home was go make sure everyone was ok. It's such a wonderful feeling finding three eggs in the box. Almost like finding treasure. Lol.
 
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I feel that way every day when I collect the eggs. Its silly I guess but I always thank the ladies for their gift and Manny for taking good care of his girls as I finish up in the coop
 
I love it because Jen gives me pretty brown eggs that are occasionally speckled. Pacey gives me tiny little off white eggs, and Dawson's are a really light powder blue. It's great that they are all different, so I can keep track of who is laying what.
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