New, smaller hens being chased/harried

[The Harlequin]

Hi

We have 8 hens and a rooster about 3 years old which we have raised from hatching. I think they're RI reds.
About a year ago we added a pair of buff orpingtons and a pair of australorps. These were initially timid but are fairly well integrated now.

About 3 weeks ago we added 4 leghorns into the flock. We'd already had them for about 5 weeks and kept them in the pen but fenced off from the others, so they could be seen but not reached.

3 weeks on they stick together, largely away from the others who by-and-large ignore them. However, when I put corn down they'll invariably get forced off, esp by one of the australorps, who have grown quite chubby and are almost twice the size of the leghorns. The leggies do get the dregs of the corn etc, but are forced away from first dibs. The leghorns also don't roost in the pen, and every night I have to gather them from the outside of the pen where they do roost and throw them inside the pen before locking it. A couple were flying 10m or more into the trees, but wing-clipping has stopped that at least.

I do feel a bit sorry for them being chased away from food etc. I'm probably just being anthropomorphic, but wondered if anyone had any views?

Thanks
H

 

[sourland]

Big chickens pick on small chickens, and established birds pick on new birds. The pecking order is a lot like 'mean girls in high school'. Provide extra feeding and water stations to assure they get enough to eat and drink, and eventually they will make their place on the flock.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

It happens...Is your coop big enough for all to live happily and they can get away if attacked then I would not worry to much about it. It's just chicken dynamics and their way of sorting out pecking order. Just make sure you have 2 feeding and watering stations if you see they are not getting their fair share so they don't have to compete so hard to survive. If there is no injuries and feather plucking then I would just keep an eye on them and see how it goes.
My leghorns are flyers and they like to roost as high as they can get so that seems normal to me also. One good thing about them being flighty is they can get away from being attacked quicker. If your wanting them to go in by them selves if you have a run attached keep them confined to the coop/run area for a week or two so they get used to roosting there by themselves. They are creatures of habit so they should get in the habit if forced to.

 

[Gtstricky]

Sounds like normal flock politics.

 

[aart]

The leghorns also don't roost in the pen, and every night I have to gather them from the outside of the pen where they do roost and throw them inside the pen before locking it.

What does this pen look like?
Pics would help here.

 

[The Harlequin]

What does this pen look like?
Pics would help here.

Here are some pics.

The original chicks, and the 4 added least year, have always roosted on the ugly old car-park railings thing. Unless broody they never roost in the chicken house itself, except very occasionally one or two might if the weather is foul (we have fairly calm winters in SW England).

The pen-within-a-pen is lockable, and this is where the leggies spent the first 8 weeks with us, until they were about 15 weeks old. They ended up roosting on top of the little house in there, but haven't roosted there since the day they were integrated with the big ones.

They started off roosting with the big ones, but in the past couple of weeks now choose to roost on top of the main pen (so unprotected). I catch them and throw them into the pen every night.

 

[aart]

17 birds won't fit in that coop.
Bigger coop or maybe they need some roosts with shelter in the pen....and hiding places.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[NatJ]

The original chicks, and the 4 added least year, have always roosted on the ugly old car-park railings thing. Unless broody they never roost in the chicken house itself, except very occasionally one or two might if the weather is foul (we have fairly calm winters in SW England).

The leghorns also don't roost in the pen, and every night I have to gather them from the outside of the pen where they do roost and throw them inside the pen before locking it. A couple were flying 10m or more into the trees, but wing-clipping has stopped that at least.

Just trying to be sure I understand:
During the day the chickens are allowed out to range freely.
At night, they are shut into the pen (made of wire, with netting on top.)
They are never shut into the little house structure or the little A-frame structure.

Have I got that right?

How big are the pens? (In feet or meters).

In the USA, many of us are used to snowy winters where the chickens spend a lot of time in a building with a roof, so we often focus on the size of the "house"-- but if your climate lets the chickens be outdoors all day every day, and are never shut into the smaller houses, then the whole-pen size is what matters.

when I put corn down they'll invariably get forced off, esp by one of the australorps, who have grown quite chubby and are almost twice the size of the leghorns. The leggies do get the dregs of the corn etc, but are forced away from first dibs.

Are you putting down the corn in a dish, or sprinkling it on the ground? Either way, you could try putting it in two or more places, or sprinkling it over a much larger area. That would make it easier for the Leghorns to get their share too.

I notice you have several feeders and waterers, so they won't go hungry or thirsty if the bigger birds are hanging out near one feeder or waterer.

I think what you are seeing is mostly normal flock dynamics.

The Leghorns roosting outside might be because chickens like to roost as high as they can--and Leghorns can get higher than the heavier breeds, so they are trying to sleep in places the others never thought of.

 

[The Harlequin]

17 birds won't fit in that coop.
Bigger coop or maybe they need some roosts with shelter in the pen....and hiding places.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

There are only 13.
And they don't sleep in the coop.
Nonetheless thanks for the link to the sanctuaries - some great ideas there!

 

[The Harlequin]

Just trying to be sure I understand:
During the day the chickens are allowed out to range freely.
At night, they are shut into the pen (made of wire, with netting on top.)
They are never shut into the little house structure or the little A-frame structure.

Have I got that right?

Yes. They are free to go anywhere including the house and the A-frame, but are locked only into the pen at night. During the day they are free to range wherever (within the wide confines of an electric fence).

How big are the pens? (In feet or meters).

The big pen is about 5m x 4m. The lockable one within it, not locked now but where the leggies spent 8 weeks from ages 7-15 weeks, is about 3m x 1.5m.

In the USA, many of us are used to snowy winters where the chickens spend a lot of time in a building with a roof, so we often focus on the size of the "house"-- but if your climate lets the chickens be outdoors all day every day, and are never shut into the smaller houses, then the whole-pen size is what matters.

Indeed. There might be 5 nights a year when either through high winds or snow 2 or 3 hens might go into the house. Even then the majority tough it out on the perch within the pen.

Are you putting down the corn in a dish, or sprinkling it on the ground? Either way, you could try putting it in two or more places, or sprinkling it over a much larger area. That would make it easier for the Leghorns to get their share too.

Sprinkling. Yes, could spread it out more, good idea.


I think what you are seeing is mostly normal flock dynamics.

You sound exactly like my missus