Sue
New member
Well, I thought I'd solved the problem with my wyandotte who was attacking the sussex (a lot of forum members will remember this ongoing saga!)
I was wrong!
She has been living quite happily with the 'top bird' in a new run and hen house (just the two of them) ever since I made the decision to separate her and put the legbar with her. For the last week or so the legbar has been moulting and I noticed she was losing a lot of feathers around her neck area (as well as elsewhere). This morning it has become clear why she is losing so many feathers around her neck - the dotte is pecking them out. Not only that, but she has now drawn blood. The legbar is just standing and letting her do this! Why is she letting that happen when she is top hen? I am now back to square one with the dotte problem, I don't know what to do now as it is only the two of them. The dotte has been broody for several months now and I have to shut them out of the house every morning and let them in at bedtime. This is fine because the legbar isn't laying at the moment. My dilemma now is what do I do? I can put the dotte in a cage during the day so she can't get to the legbar, but what do I do at night? Is it safe to put them in the house together and separate them again in the morning, or will the dotte carry on pecking her over night? Yet again I find myself having to ask for help from this fantastic forum!
I was wrong!
She has been living quite happily with the 'top bird' in a new run and hen house (just the two of them) ever since I made the decision to separate her and put the legbar with her. For the last week or so the legbar has been moulting and I noticed she was losing a lot of feathers around her neck area (as well as elsewhere). This morning it has become clear why she is losing so many feathers around her neck - the dotte is pecking them out. Not only that, but she has now drawn blood. The legbar is just standing and letting her do this! Why is she letting that happen when she is top hen? I am now back to square one with the dotte problem, I don't know what to do now as it is only the two of them. The dotte has been broody for several months now and I have to shut them out of the house every morning and let them in at bedtime. This is fine because the legbar isn't laying at the moment. My dilemma now is what do I do? I can put the dotte in a cage during the day so she can't get to the legbar, but what do I do at night? Is it safe to put them in the house together and separate them again in the morning, or will the dotte carry on pecking her over night? Yet again I find myself having to ask for help from this fantastic forum!