this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2024
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Backyard Chickens (and Other Birds)

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This is a community for people who keep chickens in their back yard. This includes pets, layers, and meaties at levels that are sub-industrial. Family farms and homesteads are included.

EDIT

The Fediverse is small. There probably aren't enough people here to make up a community for every type of bird that someone might keep so for now, everyone is welcome. Bring us your ducks and geese, turkeys and quail, Guineas and Peacocks, emus and parrots. The community will be focused on chickens but until there are enough of each bird community for their own community they will find care and comfort here.

/EDIT

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I have 5 hens and 1 hen is bullying all of the other chickens. What are some ways I can prevent this?

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Eat it. They can't be taught. Cull the herd

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago

This is how we handled it on the farm i grew up on.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 8 months ago (1 children)

We had one like that and all we could do was keep it separated and eventually found it a new home. Same thing another time all of the hens picked on one victim. Just rehomed the victim. Sometimes things just don't work out with chickens.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

At least someone is trying to help rather than trying to be “funny”.

Unfortunately some chickens are just arseholes. Sometimes getting another chicken can help (changing the dynamic of the flock) but usually it’s simpler to re-home the nasty chook.

Edit to make sure OP has done the basics like ensuring the flock has enough space, enough room at night to roost, enough food etc?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

No males in the group? Than it can happen that one hen gets to be the boss ( normally the male ) and the others needs to listen. The bosshen will yust like a male pick the others to get to listen.

Even with males it is possible that one is bossy and tried to get the others to listen to her .

But idd. Sometimes a hen can be an asshole to.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Throat slice time. Be sure to try roasted blood on bread.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (2 children)

I can't figure out how you'd roast blood without getting a sticky mess on your pan. What does it taste like?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I've only done ducks, not chooks, probably similar though. I've reduced it over low heat then deglazed with alcohol, either wine or Vermouth. A Thai friend uses a mix of rice wine and palm wine and it's delicious. Not roasted though, that sticks to everything and the hemoglobin makes a terrible mess.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Kill that chicken and eat it or get a rooster.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

How do you kill a chicken without feeling bad?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

A nice sauce and spices usually do wonders.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

You might have some luck in partitioning your coop or whatever for a while. Keep the hen in the partitioned off place for a couple of weeks and things may settle down. If that doesn't work, you'll have to re-home or eat the chicken as others have said.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)
  1. Pierce chicken carefully with a knife and brine with whole milk (or water), salt, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Brine for 2-3 hours or overnight for best results.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and baking powder and whisk until combined.

  3. Take 1 cup of your seasoning mix and combine in a separate bowl with cold water and mix until smooth.

  4. Remove the chicken from the brine and spoon a few tablespoons of brine into the seasoning mix and rub together with your hands to create small clumps. These craggily bits will add extra texture to the chicken.

  5. Dip each piece of chicken in the wet batter and let any excess drip off. Immediately dredge in seasoning mix and press the mix into the chicken until completely coated. Let rest on a baking sheet while you heat up your oil.

  6. In a large cast iron pan, dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pan/wok, fry chicken at 350F for 8-12 minutes (depending on size of the chicken) until the internal temperature reads 165F.