Hen bullying laying pullet.

[Emily_loveschickens]

Hey everyone.
we have a mean hen who have been bullying a pullet for a while now. space is not a problem because we follow all the space guidelines. I was wondering how long I need to separate the bully? the articles I have seen say that separating them knocks them down in the pecking order its just that the bully is very low in the pecking order already.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

The pullet is 7 months.

 

[aart]

space is not a problem because we follow all the space guidelines.

So you refer to the 4/10 sq ft rules?
That's no guarantee for flock harmony.

How long has this pullet been with the hens?
How many hens and how many pullets?
More info would help here.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

So you refer to the 4/10 sq ft rules?
That's no guarantee for flock harmony.

How long has this pullet been with the hens?
How many hens and how many pullets?
More info would help here.

Yes the 4/10 rule. They have about 12 sq ft in the run each and 4 sq in the coop. We had 2 pullets but one got taken by a raccoon back in October. Now we have one and she has been with the flock for 2ish months. We have 4 hens 3 of which have excepted her. It was a pretty rough integration and I thought it would get better but hasn’t really with this one hen.

 

[Krugerrand]

How long has the integration process been so far?

We added two pullets this summer when we got down to two. The one on the bottom rung turned out to be the meanest. She didn't want the new comers to push her down in the pecking order.

While they are still 2 and 2 ... they are getting along a bit better.

I've read different strategies. One is isolating the aggressor. Another is to isolate the one being picked on. It give her a chance to build some confidence on her own and start over again with a fresh start among the flock.

 

[mcdze]

you could seperate them, but really unless theres injury occuring i consider it flock politics and getting involved usually makes 'you' the bad guy .. it will eventually even out, older mature hens simply dont like other hens that arnt fully mature or are smaller than them usually ..

 

[aart]

Yes the 4/10 rule. They have about 12 sq ft in the run each and 4 sq in the coop. We had 2 pullets but one got taken by a raccoon back in October. Now we have one and she has been with the flock for 2ish months. We have 4 hens 3 of which have excepted her. It was a pretty rough integration

That's where the 4/10 rule is often inadequate, during integration.
A single new bird can be the hardest integration.

and I thought it would get better but hasn’t really with this one hen.

She's probably the low hen in the older groups, they are usually the one that bully the younger birds.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

you could seperate them, but really unless theres injury occuring

There is no injury but she is loosing some feathers at the base of the tail from them picking on her. She also has some peck marks on her comb. It will be better in the spring/summer because they free range a lot more. Do advise against me separating the bully?

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

I will only use painless peepers as a last resort.