Should I give the bullied hen her own coop and run?

[citychicks99]

We have a small RIR who possibly has a genetic deficiency so she weighs in at 2 to 3 pounds (compared to 4-5lbs for the other hens) and doesn't walk like the other hens. When it was just her, one other RIR, a cream legbar and a RIR rooster, she was doing fine and I would see her occasionally pick on the cream legbar. The cream legbar formed her own crew and hatched a couple of chicks that are now picking on the smaller RIR. There are four of the younger chickens, one of them a rooster, three hens. Everyone seems to be getting along, I'll see some occasional picking, but the smaller RIR has been hiding in the coop for two weeks now. She won't even come out to eat or drink unless I'm there to feed her. I thought it was the roosters at first and I was going to separate one of them. She is scared of them but when I had my back turned, one of the younger hens was bullying her. I started seeing every other hen but the cream legbar pick on her. I'd like to keep everyone if I can.

Is it a bad idea to just give the small RIR her own coop and run and let her live out her days like that? As it is, she spends most of her time by herself anyway. The only thing is she might be cold by herself at night in the winter months but I could maybe move her in the coop then and put her in a dog cage.

 

[3KillerBs]

First, how big is the coop and the run in feet or meters and how many chickens are in it?

Bullying and other negative behaviors are often -- though not always -- connected to crowding. Also, how many males to the number of females? An unbalanced ratio can cause social trouble in the flock -- especially if the boys are hormonal young cockerels.

I would focus on solutions that don't isolate the bullied girl because a lone chicken is a sad and sorry creature. They're flock animals by nature and tend to pine when alone.

Here's an excellent article on bullying:

Chicken bully/chicken victim - a two-sided issue​

 

[citychicks99]

First, how big is the coop and the run in feet or meters and how many chickens are in it?

Bullying and other negative behaviors are often -- though not always -- connected to crowding. Also, how many males to the number of females? An unbalanced ratio can cause social trouble in the flock -- especially if the boys are hormonal young cockerels.

I would focus on solutions that don't isolate the bullied girl because a lone chicken is a sad and sorry creature. They're flock animals by nature and tend to pine when alone.

Here's an excellent article on bullying:

Chicken bully/chicken victim - a two-sided issue​

Their coop is 8'x10' I think. In the day time they have the entire backyard to play in, which is about 300 square feet? I don't think space is the issue. There's one 6-month old rooster, three 6-month old hens, one 1.5-year-old rooster, and three 1.5-year-old hens, so 2 roosters and 6 hens. My mom was going to cull the younger rooster but I got attached so she brought him back. I thought of separating him until his hormones settle down. I was thinking of doing the same thing the article mentioned. Separate her in the day time and let her back in to roost for a few weeks and see if that helps. Or maybe just get more hens?

 

[3KillerBs]

Their coop is 8'x10' I think. In the day time they have the entire backyard to play in, which is about 300 square feet? I don't think space is the issue. There's one 6-month old rooster, three 6-month old hens, one 1.5-year-old rooster, and three 1.5-year-old hens, so 2 roosters and 6 hens. My mom was going to cull the younger rooster but I got attached so she brought him back. I thought of separating him until his hormones settle down. I was thinking of doing the same thing the article mentioned. Separate her in the day time and let her back in to roost for a few weeks and see if that helps. Or maybe just get more hens?

While there are no magic numbers, it's usually recommended to have in the vicinity of 1 rooster for every 10 hens for most common backyard.

I have too many roosters right now with 3 males and about 20 hens and will soon be culling to reduce disruption.

 

[citychicks99]

While there are no magic numbers, it's usually recommended to have in the vicinity of 1 rooster for every 10 hens for most common backyard.

I have too many roosters right now with 3 males and about 20 hens and will soon be culling to reduce disruption.

Can roosters make it worse for victims?

 

[21hens-incharge]

While my situation has differences there are similarities.

I have a lone remaining bantam (her small flock passed one after another last summer due to age).

She seems lonely but a month with the big girls separated by wire didn't make integration work. That tiny spitfire went after 3 mid level hens then tried the head hen.

I think my solution might work for your singled out bird too.

I built a bump out onto the coop and once the chicks move out she will have that and her very own section of the run. Only a wire fence will separate her from everyone else. She will live out her days there or with alone time in the yard with just one human keeping watch.

 

[citychicks99]

While my situation has differences there are similarities.

I have a lone remaining bantam (her small flock passed one after another last summer due to age).

She seems lonely but a month with the big girls separated by wire didn't make integration work. That tiny spitfire went after 3 mid level hens then tried the head hen.

I think my solution might work for your singled out bird too.

I built a bump out onto the coop and once the chicks move out she will have that and her very own section of the run. Only a wire fence will separate her from everyone else. She will live out her days there or with alone time in the yard with just one human keeping watch.

If I understand this correctly, it sounds like there's a run attached to the coop, and she's in the run during the day time and the other girls are in the yard. At nighttime everyone comes back together to roost?

 

[21hens-incharge]

If I understand this correctly, it sounds like there's a run attached to the coop, and she's in the run during the day time and the other girls are in the yard. At nighttime everyone comes back together to roost?

Sorry I wasn't clear. There is a run. The bantam will have a section of that and a small coop attached to the big girls coop. Only wire will separate them.

Right now she has the coop and run her flock lived in. She is alone but only a few feet from the others right now.

No one ranges here unless supervised due to heavy hawk population.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Basically her own coop but as close to being together as possible without ACTUALLY being able to get to each other.

 

[citychicks99]

I tried to get to go outside today while supervising of course and I noticed she has some new feathers poking in. So it looks like she's molting. That explains a lot of it. Maybe she'll get better once that's over?