# Need Help!!!



## seals83 (May 16, 2017)

Hello. I need some help. I have 7 eight week old chicks whom have started integrating with my other birds. I have three white leghorns, two rhode island reds, and two barred rocks (one is a roo). (Those are the chicks). My older birds are about three years old. I have two buff brahmas and two pekin ducks. The problem im having is one of my brahmas keeps attacking the babies. She recently has also startined attacking one of my ducks whom is handicapped ( her legs didnt form correctly). We have tried solitary confinement with her but after a day of letting her out she starts in again. Shes gotten to the point where she makes my ducks bill bleed. Can anyone give me some advice!!!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It sounds like a new home may be the only solution to the problem. If being isolated from the flock (can't see, can't hear) then there really isn't anything more I can think of you can do.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

Best recommendation is to not mix chickens with waterfowl, turkeys, and don't mix ages of birds young and old. The reasons in the poultry science community range from perpetuating the mutation of more resistant viruses to just instinctual behavior. Different species of animals don't live in harmony in nature, nor will they captivity.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I originally planned on keeping my chickens and geese separated but at 5 wks in that plan is shot.The geese are hanging out front with the chickens but everybody is getting along.I guess it helps that the geese are bigger than the chickens.The geese ignore the chickens and I think the chickens are still trying to figure out what the heck I've dragged home now.I'm putting their house next to the coop so I can have access to electric for heated waterers for them this winter.I'm hoping once they are introduced to the pond they will stay out back,where it's nothing but grass and water.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

chickenqueen said:


> I originally planned on keeping my chickens and geese separated but at 5 wks in that plan is shot.The geese are hanging out front with the chickens but everybody is getting along.I guess it helps that the geese are bigger than the chickens.The geese ignore the chickens and I think the chickens are still trying to figure out what the heck I've dragged home now.I'm putting their house next to the coop so I can have access to electric for heated waterers for them this winter.I'm hoping once they are introduced to the pond they will stay out back,where it's nothing but grass and water.


My lack of clarity. I'm referring to waterfowl & chickens being housed/penned together. I grew up with geese, ducks, chickens, peafowl all running on the same property. When I was a kid, I remember a peacock tearing up an old rooster pretty bad. My Mom nursed him back to health, but it was something that should have been prevented. The peacock had access to the chicken's coop and the rooster was cornered.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I believe that one of the geese i had grabbed a hen's leg thru a fence and broke it. The vet set it and she lived almost 2 more years. Birds can be nasty to eachother. Hubs says they have been ganging up on my buff orp. I don't know why.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

The geese aren't bothering the chickens but Mercury(named for the Roman god of trade and Freddie Mercury of Queen,I already have a parakeet named Freddie)chases and hisses at the dog.They are so funny and entertaining to watch and so soft to hold.I will keep an eye on them though.They will not be allowed to harass the chickens.I figure when the geese are in their house I will let the chickens out first since they immediately run to the front for breakfast.Maybe the geese won't catch on and will stay out back.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

seminolewind said:


> I believe that one of the geese i had grabbed a hen's leg thru a fence and broke it. The vet set it and she lived almost 2 more years. Birds can be nasty to eachother. Hubs says they have been ganging up on my buff orp. I don't know why.


Geese are brutal during mating season. Getting hit by the pollex of a wing is like getting punched in the face. They can sure pinch hard too. I used to think of it as an odd occurrence when for years the flock remains content, and then, one or two may become overly aggressive. The most docile or weak bear the brunt of it. Sometimes birds sense the sickness of another bird and try to weed the out of the flock. Sometimes an agitated/uncomfortable hen will act out on the others.
I just try to make sure all is well by observing them enough and looking for evidence of problems. I few weeks ago, I found some blood soaked shavings and a splatter of blood on the wall near roosts one morning. I also noticed a blood stained soft shell egg in the shavings beneath the roost. I thought this was likely reproductive. I inspected birds and noticed mucous urates on one hens vent. She had lost weight so I didn't separate her since the other hens encouraged her to eat. I was concerned because of some of their aggression but the hen was wise enough to avoid combat. I used vitamins-electrolytes every day in water and dewormed her with Albendazole. The next day, I followed up with 250 mg metronidazole. I did this for 4 days. The next week she was gaining her weight back. It was a crap shoot for me since I use Corid prevention on occasion and deworm at least 3 times a year now. I've found metronidazole works well for individual treatment against protozoa(not just histomonas)/bacterial infections of the gut.

Chickenqueen, geese are as excited about feed as chickens are in the morning. Perhaps you could set feed out for them where they can't see the chickens and the chickens can't see them. These are reasons why I like big yards. If they need to be confined to an area all day, I don't feel bad so long as they can dust, have water and feed stations in the shade, and a dark, well ventilated house to lay in. Geese don't need the house accommodations but sure do enjoy ranging. My folk's geese are all over their property during the day and they make quite a trek over 10 acres. Problem is their geese lay secretively in the bushes and before you know it, a goose is strutting out with baby goslings.


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