Jewel needs a buddy!

[Nats Chickens]

I have a seriously bullied, almost 2 year old hen. She has a BFF, Belle, but the other all pic on her, except for Sherbet. We are building a new chicken coop with a run, so they will no longer be 24/7 free ranging. I think that this might increase the bullying, even though the run will be 12mx6m, including the coop. We are tearing down the old coop, and using bits of it to make a door for our new coop. I am thinking of using the spare parts to make a new guinea pig hutch, then move Jewel and a chosen 'other', into the chicken coop the guinea pigs are currently living in, which our chickens first lived in. The only thing is, I don't know who to move her in with! I only want her to have 1 friend, so that she has a higher status, and so they bond really closely. She is very haggered looking, with almost no 'eyebrows'. I will post a list of flock members, and I would love your opinion on who should be her BFF. Tagging @Butterscotchbitesfinger and @speckledhen

Jewel

Bottom of the pecking order, continually bullied.

Belle

Jewel's best friend and protector, but also Top Chook, removing her could cause anarchy.

Pip

Hates Jewel, Second in command, bullies Jewel badly, constantly pulling out her 'eyebrows' and chasing her.

Tinky

Bullies Jewel, always chasing her and is 3rd in the pecking order.

Leaf

Chases Jewel pulling her neck feathers, is quite mean.

Nim

Doesn't seem to bother Jewel much, but they don't seem to be "besties" or anything, is good friends with Mini and 5th in command, I think.

Sherbet

7th in the pecking order, gets along with Jewel nicely, doesn't bully her at all.

Mini

Pecks Jewel occasionally, but not bullying or anything, great friends with Nim, so would hate to be separated. 6th in command.

 

[Ducklover2]

I have a seriously bullied, almost 2 year old hen. She has a BFF, Belle, but the other all pic on her, except for Sherbet. We are building a new chicken coop with a run, so they will no longer be 24/7 free ranging. I think that this might increase the bullying, even though the run will be 12mx6m, including the coop. We are tearing down the old coop, and using bits of it to make a door for our new coop. I am thinking of using the spare parts to make a new guinea pig hutch, then move Jewel and a chosen 'other', into the chicken coop the guinea pigs are currently living in, which our chickens first lived in. The only thing is, I don't know who to move her in with! I only want her to have 1 friend, so that she has a higher status, and so they bond really closely. She is very haggered looking, with almost no 'eyebrows'. I will post a list of flock members, and I would love your opinion on who should be her BFF. Tagging @Butterscotchbitesfinger and @speckledhen

Jewel
View attachment 1631604
Bottom of the pecking order, continually bullied.

Belle
View attachment 1631594
Jewel's best friend and protector, but also Top Chook, removing her could cause anarchy.

Pip
View attachment 1631597
Hates Jewel, Second in command, bullies Jewel badly, constantly pulling out her 'eyebrows' and chasing her.

Tinky
View attachment 1631595
Bullies Jewel, always chasing her and is 3rd in the pecking order.

Leaf
View attachment 1631592
Chases Jewel pulling her neck feathers, is quite mean.

Nim
View attachment 1631598
Doesn't seem to bother Jewel much, but they don't seem to be "besties" or anything, is good friends with Mini and 5th in command, I think.

Sherbet
View attachment 1631591
7th in the pecking order, gets along with Jewel nicely, doesn't bully her at all.

Mini
View attachment 1631593
Pecks Jewel occasionally, but not bullying or anything, great friends with Nim, so would hate to be separated. 6th in command.

If she's being bullied by all except one put that one with her. If you see her being bullied afterward that may mean she's sick and the rest of the flock are trying to make her leave.

 

[Nats Chickens]

There are 2 that don't bully her, but one is her best friend, but I don't want to take her out of the flock as she is the Big Boss, and controls all the other chickens. The other one, they hang out a bit, but aren't besties or anything.

 

[Ducklover2]

There are 2 that don't bully her, but one is her best friend, but I don't want to take her out of the flock as she is the Big Boss, and controls all the other chickens. The other one, they hang out a bit, but aren't besties or anything.

I'd say to separate those 2 from the rest of the flock. There will be mayhem for awhile since the one thats 2nd in command will pick on the rest more since she becomes top hen. Once they reestablish the order they will stop fighting unless one wants to move up.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Errrr, my only thought is could you let them sort it out, this is normal, my chooks do this all the time. My rooster usually breaks it up so would a rooster be an option or normally the top hen will be the dominant girl

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Or you could get two more chickens so that jewel isn’t the lowest anymore

 

[Nats Chickens]

I'd say to separate those 2 from the rest of the flock. There will be mayhem for awhile since the one thats 2nd in command will pick on the rest more since she becomes top hen. Once they reestablish the order they will stop fighting unless one wants to move up.

Which 2?

This has been going on for months, but I haven't had the option to move her until now.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Which 2?

This has been going on for months, but I haven't had the option to move her until now.

Don’t MOVE HER
That’ll only make the bullying worse when you try and put her back

 

[Nats Chickens]

I ment permanently into a separate flock.

 

[Nats Chickens]

Don’t MOVE HER
That’ll only make the bullying worse when you try and put her back

I definitely agree if you were planning on putting her back that moving her would make it worse, but I plan for her to always be separate.