I’ve been engaged in what they call “flock management”. Flock management is one of the responsibilities of having a flock of chickens. It sometimes requires making a difficult decision. The decision of having to “cull” one of my hens has taken over a year for me to make. What a heartless sounding word “cull” is. In poultry, or in any animal management, it means “to pick out for rejection for not meeting the standard or to remove for specific reasons”. In poultry speak, cull can also mean “to wring their necks, cut their throats, chop off their heads, or in some other way, dispense of the offender”. Thank goodness, it can also mean to “find them another place to live, or, to rehome”.

Taylor Newton with Petunia

I finally made the decision to “cull” Petunia. Over the past year, this beautiful Golden-laced Wyandotte, became more and more of a “bully”. She had always picked on Rosie, making her life quite miserable toward the end. Sweetpea and Daisy were her other targets but she focusd on Tulip when she was recently sick, until I intervened. I never once saw her attack the silver-laced Wyandotte, Poppy, the matriarch and “no-nonsense” memeber of the group. The final straw was her treatment of Daisy when she was broody. Every time I took Daisy from the nest to try to get her to eat and drink, Petunia would chase her around the run until she went back in.

I removed Petunia from the run and kept her in the garden shed in a dog crate for a week before finding her a home. She was as sweet as sugar during her confinement, gently chorkeling to me, and to Tulip in the next cage, as I went about my gardening. I tried to return her several times to the coop but I could see that I didn’t have the tolerance for the frantic squacking and chaotic disorder that Petunia created. She needed a larger space and what I think of as “rooster leadership”. Yes, roosters do keep peace among hens, but there is an ordinance against roosters in Cambria, so we are doomed here, to have quiet, but confused, flocks.

It was not easy finding a home for Petunia. Many people, I found, did not want to introduce an “ill-tempered” hen into their established flock. I can hardly blame them. Then, along came Taylor Newton, owner of Newton Cultivation in Morro Bay; rescuer of all things living and willing to give a “mean girl” a chance. His rescued roosters far outnumber his hens. But Petunia’s a tough little beauty. I think she will do all right.

I’ve been sad for a few days now. The act of giving up has taken its toll. But my garden is a more peaceful place. The hens seem settled and content for the first time in a long time. As I handed Petunia over to Taylor Newton, I assured myself that  Petunia is getting a chance to be a real chicken, not a pampered pet perhaps, but a real chicken. I wish her well.

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Tulip enjoys a dust bath.

Tulip is soooooo much better. We’ve put her back with her flock for a few hours each day. Today she laid her first egg since her injuries last week.

The first day that we put her in with the other hens, I waited to see if they began pecking her back. It still has a bare spot but there is no blood present. I didn’t see them peck her at all. She rushed over to a private spot that the cameras don’t show, layed down and took her first dust bath in four days. I’m sure she felt like we all do when we’ve been deprived of a shower for a few days. She spent an hour fluffing her feathers and rolling about in the dirt. After a while, Poppy joined her. Poppy just sat near her, glad to have her back.

I’m not sure who started the pecking but my suspicion was that it was Petunia. Petunia has always been a bit of a pecker. I’ve made a rather tough decision in the last week. I’ve have been looking for a better home for Petunia. One with a larger run; perhaps a “free range” situation. A rooster would be good. Roosters seem to know how to handle ill-tempered hens. I believe that I have found a good home for Petunia and will post about it when I deliver her there.

Poppy visits with Tulip as she takes her dust bath.

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"Queen Tulip" Sitting on Don's Lap

Thought you’d like to know that Tulip is doing well in her cage in the garden shed. She was so depressed when she was being picked on in the chicken run, I was afraid she was just going to lie down and give up. Now she is talking to me when I go visit her and enjoying her regular feed, yogurt, and tuna (supposed to help her grow her feathers back).

Tulip (I call her “Queen Tulip” because she is so regal looking) is so much a part of our flock. I’d hate to lose her. She’s a bit aloof; not the first to jump on our laps. But when her feet are cold, she’s right there. I like her because she’s mellow and calm most of the time. Not typical of chickens. She seldom is noisy unless she lays one of her big, beautiful, light green eggs. Then she is the first to let us know (with Sweetpea cheering her on). It can be quite a chorus at times.

Hopefully, Tulip will be back in the run in no time. Thanks for your good wishes.

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This is what a hen looks like when she's sick.

Our gentle Tulip, the Ameraucana hen, is sick. Several days ago, I noticed that some of the feathers on her back had been picked off. Those of you who have chickens know that once they start picking on a hen, they don’t stop. They can be downright cannibals!

Tulip's wound.

The second day I noticed Tulip sitting in the corner of the coop, head down, tail down and the picking had continued. I know better than to let this go. I applied a think dark paste called Rooster Booster (made to discourage picking) and within an hour, the three other hens (Daisy is too busy being broody) had picked the pasty goo off. So much for Rooster Booster! I put in a temporary fenced area inside the chicken run (see picture) to keep the other hens away and when I went out a little later she had climbed, or flown, over the top and was hiding in the nest boxes.

I’ve prepared a little cage in the garden shed next to the window for Tulip to recuperate and grow her feathers back. She is in the cage now but seems very lethargic. She has all she needs; food, water with electrolytes, and I’ve given her yogurt (her favorite food).

Tulip's home until she heals.

Chickens are strange animals. They will suddenly die without warning. They will die from fright if chased or manhandled. They will die of loneliness. They will sometimes just lay down and die. I’ll give her some poultry antibiotic just to make sure she doesn’t have an infection, then time will tell.