Chicken suddenly bullying other chicken?

[TheyBeChillin]

Hello! I have 4 hens, and they used to all get along. However, one of my chickens is now bullying all the other chickens. She’ll chase them and attack them for no apparent reason. Sometimes, it’s over food like if one of them found a bug outside, and she didn’t. She never draws blood, but she will pluck out feathers. They always have plenty of food and water so I don’t think she’s stressed over that. I haven’t noticed any predators lurking around except for an occasional hawk but that’s typical. Other than her sudden aggression, her behavior is otherwise normal. She’s been acting this way all week, and I’m not sure why. Is there any way I can stop the behavior? Is it possible there’s an underlying issue?

 

[aart]

How old are they, in months?
How big is their coop and run, in feet by feet?

 

[LaFleche]

Hello! I have 4 hens, and they used to all get along. However, one of my chickens is now bullying all the other chickens. She’ll chase them and attack them for no apparent reason. Sometimes, it’s over food like if one of them found a bug outside, and she didn’t. She never draws blood, but she will pluck out feathers. They always have plenty of food and water so I don’t think she’s stressed over that. I haven’t noticed any predators lurking around except for an occasional hawk but that’s typical. Other than her sudden aggression, her behavior is otherwise normal. She’s been acting this way all week, and I’m not sure why. Is there any way I can stop the behavior? Is it possible there’s an underlying issue?

How old are they?

This sounds as if one of your pullets is not female but a hormonal cockerel trying to mate.

Please, take a picture and let us see.

 

[TheyBeChillin]

How old are they, in months?
How big is their coop and run, in feet by feet?

They’re 1 year and 2 almost 3 months old.
I’m not sure how big their run and coop is in feet- but their coop is supposed to fit up to 12 chickens and their run 8. They also spend most of their time outside the run free ranging in our yard. Our yard is fenced in and is about half an acre.

 

[TheyBeChillin]

How old are they?

This sounds as if one of your pullets is not female but a hormonal cockerel trying to mate.

Please, take a picture and let us see.

They’re a year and 2 months old. I know she isn’t a cockerel since she’s been laying for awhile now. Sorry, I should have included how old they are.

 

[LaFleche]

Well, at the age of 1 year and three months there is no hormonal cockerel to be expected.

Are they starting to molt or is the aggressor broody perhaps?

 

[TheyBeChillin]

Well, at the age of 1 year and three months there is no hormonal cockerel to be expected.

Are they starting to molt or is the aggressor broody perhaps?

Perhaps she’s getting ready to molt. They haven’t molted yet- when might I expected it? I live in north Alabama.
She has been really broody except for the past week or so- we’ve been abnormally warm though. On Monday and Tuesday, we got up to 110+ for our heat index. Could that have something to do with it?

 

[LaFleche]

Perhaps she’s getting ready to molt. They haven’t molted yet- when might I expected it? I live in north Alabama.
She has been really broody except for the past week or so- we’ve been abnormally warm though. On Monday and Tuesday, we got up to 110+ for our heat index. Could that have something to do with it?

I think the broodiness, the heat and the beginning of molting season all play into the rather aggressive behaviour.

I see it daily with my flock as most of my 34 hens are very crabby and my rooster has a lot to do breaking up squabbles among the ladies. Half of them is still broody and molting simultaneously and the other half is almost done molting, but all suffer from the heat. It is about 36°Celsius here and humidity is crazy, not the kind of weather a chicken would enjoy.

 

[TheyBeChillin]

I think the broodiness, the heat and the beginning of molting season all play into the rather aggressive behaviour.

I see it daily with my flock as most of my 34 hens are very crabby and my rooster has a lot to do breaking up squabbles among the ladies. Half of them is still broody and molting simultaneously and the other half is almost done molting, but all suffer from the heat. It is about 36°Celsius here and humidity is crazy, not the kind of weather a chicken would enjoy.

Okay, thanks so much! That makes me feel better having an idea of what it is