I have a small flock of 6 hens in a 8'x16' run and a coop that is 8'x3' they are allowed to free range in a 100 X 100' yard in the late afternoons weather permitting but not all day due to hawks. Two of the girls are easter eggers, 6 years old and the other four, black sex links just turned 2. After the 2 year old's first molt, one of the birds started picking on my oldest most docile bird. The eldest squats, runs away, avoids fights. The bird chases her, mounts her pulls feathers and torments her non stop both inside and outside of the run. I built platforms and placed up barriers, moved around the roost bar and nest boxes. The bird doesn't bully anyone else and gets along well with them all. The older bird was looking fed up with having to constantly battle, so I pulled the bully. The rest of the flock is serene and get along nicely with one another.
I pulled the bully and placed her in a 4x4 pen in the garage out of sight for 6 days. That late evening, I let the girls out together into the yard and observed. She went right back to bullying the old bird. Others were chasing her around and it didn't even deter her in the slightest. She's back in the 4x4 pen. Did I try to reintroduce too soon? Should I try again? If so, when? How much longer does she stay out of the coop? I'm at a complete loss. I've never seen this behavior before once pecking order was established. Eldest bird still lays eggs and is in good health.
I pulled the bully and placed her in a 4x4 pen in the garage out of sight for 6 days. That late evening, I let the girls out together into the yard and observed. She went right back to bullying the old bird. Others were chasing her around and it didn't even deter her in the slightest. She's back in the 4x4 pen. Did I try to reintroduce too soon? Should I try again? If so, when? How much longer does she stay out of the coop? I'm at a complete loss. I've never seen this behavior before once pecking order was established. Eldest bird still lays eggs and is in good health.
