Bob is one unhappy rooster right now.

My daughter closed up the chickens last night and commented that Mildred looked pretty beaten up. She's still recovering from her wounds, but when I went and opened the coop up this morning, she didn't want to move.

I think the problem is, besides Bob's amorous advances, is that she also happens to be the bottom cluck in a pecking order of two. She looked all disheveled this morning, and didn't want to move. She seemed overly intimidated by Bob's presence, so I took action.

Inside the coop I have an old wire dog crate that I kept the two chickens in while they were just starting to feather out. I did that for about a week so they'd get the idea that this stall of the barn is their home, and then I opened it up. I kept it in place because I figured that it would be handy when I brought in new chickens - they'd be able to meet Bob and Mildred without getting seriously beaten up. I even fixed it up a little with fresh straw for when I get some new pullets, hopefully soon.

Anyway, I picked Mildred up and put her inside, then gave her some food and water and locked her up. When I did, she perked up right away and started to enthusiastically eat. Did she sense that she was separated from Bob? I don't know.

Bob, however, was immediately aware that something was amiss. He went over to the bars of the cage and lowered his head, making odd sounds at Mildred like he knew he couldn't get to her. Angry? Frustrated? Both? When I left, he was standing right next to the crate, crowing up a storm.

There's only one bad thing about this arrangement that I can think of: there's no nest box if she decides to lay an egg. If the urge hits, I'm sure she'll make some kind of nest, though - and the important thing right now is that she's not going to be molested for a while.

I'll give her a few days to recover and then bring her back out. Perhaps when the new pullets arrive - Mildred out, pullets in. That ought to shake things up and confuse Bob even more.

That's the plan, anyway.