Well it's been a few days now since we introduced the new girls to 'Lucky' and all seems to be going ok. As expected there has been some confrontation from our remaining chook but so far this has not been too overpowering so we are not intervening; after all this is a natural way of establishing the pecking order within a flock.
We previously experienced this once when we brought home a stray hen that we had rescued from wandering the streets near our sister-in-laws house. Being introduced singularly to an existing flock, she was subjected to rather nasty attacks of pecking and somewhat bullying behaviour. For the best part of the first week, the girls would take a peck at her as she passed by, whenever she attempted to feed or go to roost with them. This soon forced her into submission and started her life with them at the bottom of the pecking order; even sleeping in a different tree to the rest. I found all this behaviour fascinating to be honest. I'd always heard of the pecking order so to see this happening in reality was interesting-the psychology of chickens!
The Sussex appears to be getting the brunt of the pecking, with newly renamed Lucky providing most of the pecks. She is taking most of the abuse to her tail and has lost some feathers and it was actually bleeding a little bit yesterday, which doesn't look too great on any animal, let alone a white one. In my 'Beatrix Potter' (as husband calls it) attitude I attempted to bandage her up hoping that by covering the area the others would be less tempted to peck at it. Apparently chickens are drawn to the sight of blood and that cannibalism (for that is what it is called) can become a serious learned behavioural problem within a flock. Needless to say, the bandage lasted all of two minutes before falling off. By this point I was feeling quite sorry for her so I googled other suggestions for preventing/stopping this behaviour. I read somewhere that applying a nasty tasting product to the area can deter attacks, so I have mixed a very dilute combination of essential oils, that don't smell too pleasant so possibly won't taste nice either, in some water and I'm going to squirt her rear end with that!
She appears to be eating and drinking normally, so I will keep a watch over the next few days and if things don't improve or get worse I will consider separating her. It may sound the obvious thing to separate her with immediate effect though my concern then is that she will re-enter the flock at the bottom of the hierarchy (as she is now) but even lower and suffer worse for it. I'm also considering removing Lucky from the newer girls, if she continues to be a bully, to knock her down a notch or two-we shall see.
Interestingly, there is a noticeable difference in the temperament between the two girls we bought from the free-range farm; who are very sociable and come running over whenever someone goes out towards the coop, and the other almost battery birds who scurry off into the furthest corner and stay there, cowering, until we have left. However, I'm sure they will have no choice other than get used to us and their new home.
The Quail seem to be fitting it well too. Being completely new to Quail, from a pet aspect anyhow, I am currently reading any information available; which to be honest isn't a lot. At the moment I've read some conflicting information and I'm a little dubious about the sex of our two. When we bought them we asked for hens; for obvious egg laying ability. The breeder proceeded to pick up some of the smaller birds and use a curious method to determine the sex; of which we'd only heard of in old-wives tales. He had a large needle on a thread which, when holding the bird, he gently touched onto its' back and then extended a little way above the bird. If the needle proceeded to travel in a circular direction this would indicate female, whereas a male would produce a side to side motion-Very curious!
I was slightly fascinated by this; I recall a similar technique, using the womans' wedding ring, is purported to determine the sex of a baby during pregnancy. Anyhow, he said he isn't sure how it works (that or a magician never shares his secrets!) but that he travels to other breeders and sexes their birds using this method as not everyone can do it. This was confirmed by his partner who said she has tried many times and failed; even if she is in direct contact with him. He then proceeded to take my wrist and identify my gender-after a rather shaky start, in which I had a momentary identity crisis, the needle began to turn in a circular motion- Phew, so I'm almost definitely female then!
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