Chickens fighting all of a sudden??

[aart]

This is my set up. I have two roost on either side.

Am only seeing one roost?
I see 5 hens.....did you say you had a rooster?
Is that little bird in nest a silkie?

 

[featherhead007]

That one did look like a silkie! The others are a somewhat temperamental breed. Colored eggs, maybe? Maybe get a Plymouth barred rock Rooster.
IMO: they are good with humans, and keep the ladies in line.

 

[sarahconnor]

Yeah I wouldn’t have an issue with it but the older girls don’t really want her roosting with them either unfortunately. I find her below the roost sleeping in the shavings in the morning. I have some mean girls I guess lol

I have one young who is so pecked up but she still squeezes under the big ones to sleep. She is hard headed. It’s always arguments till they settle down. I just let them sort it out. Perhaps when your youngster is more mature things will get better for her. We used to have two roosters and they fought less then now with just one they fight more. But it all balances out well. He does a good job breaking it up. Good luck

 

[sarahconnor]

We had this issue briefly. Here's how we solved it. Take the bully out and put her on the floor in a wire dog crate but keep the crate in the coop so she is still part of the flock, she just can't bully anyone. Keep her there 3 nights, then watch to see how she does. If she bullies again, repeat 3 more nights. We did not have to repeat a third time. She had an attitude adjustment. No more problems!

Wow. That’s very cool!! I’ll keep that in mind.

 

[sarahconnor]

That one did look like a silkie! The others are a somewhat temperamental breed. Colored eggs, maybe? Maybe get a Plymouth barred rock Rooster.
IMO: they are good with humans, and keep the ladies in line.

We accidentally adopted a barredrock rooster. Thought it was a hen . We are pleased though. He’s a cutie!!! Real energetic! He’s hanging with four pullets that we started him out with when we brought him home. He’s fitting in just fine with all the others. Our big rooster doesn’t bother him at all. But when he is fully grown up we shall see.

 

[rkapfen]

That one did look like a silkie! The others are a somewhat temperamental breed. Colored eggs, maybe? Maybe get a Plymouth barred rock Rooster.
IMO: they are good with humans, and keep the ladies in line.

Yes the one in the nesting box is a silkie. I would love a barred rock rooster but where I live we’re not even supposed to have any roosters so my little Serama rooster is even pushing my luck unfortunately lol so what I have been trying lately is every time I see her peck or chase her I grab her and gently lay her on her side until she’s still and then let her go. And today is actually better! They actually both jumped up on my lap with no issues! So hopefully this was just a passing hormonal thing thankfully!

 

[rkapfen]

Am only seeing one roost?
I see 5 hens.....did you say you had a rooster?
Is that little bird in nest a silkie?

I have two separate roosts and 7 chickens including the rooster. And yes she is a silkie in the nesting box. Things today have been better though since I started turning the mean ones over on their side every time they bite or are aggressive. So hopefully this was all just temporary!

 

[aart]

I have two separate roosts and 7 chickens including the rooster. And yes she is a silkie in the nesting box.

Could be the silkie can't get up on the roost.

 

[EggWalrus]

Could be the silkie can't get up on the roost.

True! Silkies don't have flight feathers like other chickens. Marco Polo wrote that when he first encountered them in China "they have very few feathers like birds and have the fur like that of a cat"

 

[featherhead007]

Kinda sucks to be a Silkie I guess!