Chicken being left out of coop...

So we have 8 chickens. Got them all this past spring. They have now all started laying eggs.
The last of the 8 girls to start laying seems to be getting picked on...
She is a buff orpington. I have two of this breed that i got together.
But she was the last to mature and lay eggs and seems to be the low man on the totem pole.
Things i have noticed in the past week:
Someone pecked off a chunk of her comb( small but noticable)
She has laid a couple eggs out in the yard and inside the run.
And when i go out at night to lock up the coop she is left out in the run by herself and everyone else is inside the coop
She is about 7 months old.
I have seen them peck at her a little when im out. But nothing severe, and she doesnt have any missing feathers or anything... Just wondering if there is something i can do?
I have to pick her up and go set her inside the coop on the roost in the dark each night.

If you can pinpoint the main bully, you could separate the bully for a few days to a week to take them down a peg. Can you try to be out there when they are roosting to see exactly what's going on?

Hholly said:

If you can pinpoint the main bully, you could separate the bully for a few days to a week to take them down a peg. Can you try to be out there when they are roosting to see exactly what's going on?

Click to expand...

Okay, yeah tonight i can be anyway. Tomorow i cant, but the rest if the week i can. So i will definatly try that. So far just from sitting outside during the day with them i have 4 who are about 2 weeks older than the other 4. And its the older girls who are being a little pecky. But she seems to be just fine during the day. They certainly dont keep her from eating or walking around which im glad. I feel so sorry for her when i find her out alone at night. Thank you for your advice, i will def sit out tonight and watch what happens !

You're welcome! Let us know how it goes.

Someone will always be pecking or pecked.......it's just how they do.
It's not a concern unless there is copious blood letting and/or anyone is getting pinned down/trapped and beaten without cease.

Hopefully you have plenty of floor space and roost space available.
12" of roost length per bird gives them room to shuffle and get settled and some space between any who are not on the best of terms.
Yes, they can sleep on much less space, but often need it to have their roost time rumbles.
Roosting time is almost always a time for some squabbling and pecking.

Keep putting her in at night. She will get the picture, and the others will get used to her being in there. As @aart said, make sure you have enough roost space.

aart said:

Someone will always be pecking or pecked.......it's just how they do.
It's not a concern unless there is copious blood letting and/or anyone is getting pinned down/trapped and beaten without cease.

Hopefully you have plenty of floor space and roost space available.
12" of roost length per bird gives them room to shuffle and get settled and some space between any who are not on the best of terms.
Yes, they can sleep on much less space, but often need it to have their roost time rumbles.
Roosting time is almost always a time for some squabbling and pecking.

Click to expand...

Thank you, yes there is actually lots of roost space but the all share the same one! There is a whole 5 foot long roost that no one sits on.
But yeah from what i read i expected one to be picked on a little i just dont like her being left outside the coop. But there has been no blood. And she has been pinned down by te most dominant two hens and then others will run up and peck at her while they do this. But i have seen no feathers lost soo i guess we will just keep watching and see. Thank u again for your advice!

Hholly said:

You're welcome! Let us know how it goes.

Click to expand...

I watched last night and she actually made it in on her own. She was picked on by the most dominant hen a little about 30 min before they all headed back to the coop. Her and the other buff orp were the last two to go in almost waiting till it was too dark to see. But she went in 3-4 times and then would come right back out and then finally went in and roosted. Once she was in i opened up the main door so i could watch. She was right next to our most dominant hen and she did peck at her once.. But that was it , so last night went well.

Happy Chooks said:

Keep putting her in at night.  She will get the picture, and the others will get used to her being in there.  As @aart
said, make sure you have enough roost space.

Click to expand...

They do actually have lots of roost space. Half of it no one even uses.. But there is plenty of xtra. Thankfully she made it in last night, so maybe she is gettig it after the last 5-6 nights in a row of packing her inside the coop and sitting her on the roost lol. Hopefully things will start to get better. Thank u for your advice!

Quote:
Good deal! Hopefully things will just improve from here. If things get too bad with the bullies, you can always try the separation thing. Good luck!