The Bully Hen

Things are going fairly well in the chicken coop...

Everyone is finding their place in the pecking order... except for Squeaky and one of the new hens.

They seem to be at odds with each other.

The Ameraucana is throwing her weight around . She is not even laying eggs yet and for some reason she has decided to pick on Squeak'.

"What did you say, you little dwarf?"

 And while the other hens are out in the yard, eating lettuce and apple peels, this young hen is waiting at the entrance of the chicken house. She seems to be guarding the doorway...

And who is the only chicken inside the coop? Right...

 Look at her. She's stressed. "What's the matter with that upstart? Why is she picking on me?"

 I may be small... but I'm smart and have fine feathers. My parents had lineage. I think that I'm a fine hen. I'm just small."

Squeaky runs from this hen. Well, to be honest, Squeaky runs from all the big hens but this hen seems to have it out  for Squeak'. She is afraid of what will happen if this hen gets a hold of her. If Squeak' is eating a piece of lettuce, this hen will come over and snatch it away.  This hen seems to have a bone to pick with Squeaky. I don't know what her problem is.

The hen from hell is not a happy "Bully". 

She doesn't mingle with the other hens much . She hasn't grown her crop yet, so she's not laying eggs. She is one of the newbie hens and can't seem to find her place in the scheme of things. Right now she's just being a loner and picking on the littlest hen .

Bully's are usually victims too, so I will keep an eye on this new hen and see what happens. 

Squeaky can usually take care of herself. She has always been the underchicken. She accepts this fate most of the time. But, she told me, this morning, that she is tired of being picked on and will report this to the authorities if something isn't done about it. I think she is serious. The other hens never say anything or come to her defense. There seems to be a conspiracy of silence in the hen house.

This is National Bullying Prevention Month. Here is some information about the efforts being made to do something about this epidemic in our country.

Please pay attention to your children. Listen to them. It's time for someone to do something.