Chicken Bullying

[Courtney Jane]

My 3 girls have just started laying a few weeks ago and ever since then one has been getting picked on by the other 2. Matilda is the biggest bully always shooing Disco away from her food and pecking at her sometimes causing her comb to bleed. Gertrude sometimes picks on disco too yet Matilda and Gertrude never pick on each other. Disco always flinches when they come near her at feeding time and can just tell she is frightened of them. I did do some research and it said to isolate the bully hen but if 2 of them are bullying which one should I isolate? I feel like disco is not as big as the other 2 and I wonder if it’s because she’s not getting enough feed. I worried something awful will happen to her when I’m not home or something. They are free range by the way so I can’t imagine what it would be like if they were all crammed together in a tiny space!

 

[MrsEskew]

Poor little Disco is at the bottom of their pecking order and Matilda is at the top of it. Chickens are crazy. Usually it works out and they stop bullying as bad. But they are always going to see her as the lower one unless you get more hens or a rooster.

 

[aart]

Onset of lay can be a chaotic time...hormones surging, pecking orders changing.
Was going to ask about space, that sounds OK, but might try multiple feed/water stations.
Separation should be a last resort....but you might try isolating one of the bullies and see what happens.

 

[Courtney Jane]

Thanks guys! So you think they might calm down a bit once their hormones settle down? Another feed station is a good idea I’ll try that!
Should I worry about the occasional bleeding comb due to pecking or is it not too big of a deal? I usually just clean it and put some antiseptic on it.

 

[aart]

Should I worry about the occasional bleeding comb due to pecking or is it not too big of a deal? I usually just clean it and put some antiseptic on it.

I don't worry about it...they can bleed pretty bad but it stops quickly.

As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[miss pickles]

I'm down to 2 chickens turning a year old this month. They don't get along pecking each others
feathers, fighting over food. I finally put in multiple feed/water stations, it helped . I also put chicken aprons on them, now they pick each other chest feathers. I discovered today one of them has a bald
spot size of a 50 cent piece. The coop is 8X8X6. Plenty of roosting room. I feed them a high protein breakfast , healthy greens at lunch. Chicken feed in evening .besides they have access to chicken feed at all times They have been laying regular. Its been a harsh winter, so they have been cooped up, but also they have never gotten along. I ready to get rid of them and start over.

 

[sourland]

Provide multiple feeding stations to assure that the least dominant hen gets enough to eat and allow them to work things out on their own.

 

[Courtney Jane]

Thanks guys, sounds like it could be a lot worse for poor Disco. I’m sorry to hear about your hens Miss Pickles! That does sound like a hand full. Best of luck!