6 Hens 3 Bullies

[Smartbomb71]

My flock is all jacked up. I have 6 hens; a barred rock, RIR, Issa brown, EE, americauna, and a lacy Wyandot. The crappy behavior started with Loretta the Issa brown. She started picking feathers and chasing my americauna Fluff. It was stressful and I should've isolated Loretta. I'm certain that not isolating her started a chain reaction with who I call the big 3. They have plenty of room, layer feed, and the only treats I give them are sunflower seeds and meal worms. The big 3 are being horrible to the EE, americauna, and the lacy Wyandot. I don't know what the heck to do with them. Do I send them one by one to chicken jail? I'm not even sure who to start with. Loretta isn't even the top of pecking order. It's Tanya Harding the BR and she's a bugger to everyone now. She used to not fuss with any of them ever. The big three rarely pick on each other but when they do they don't flinch at all. I just got flock blocks and added some clutter to the run for the other girls to hide behind. They have two feeders and one waterer. They don't guard the water or feed, just treats. The big 3 are sapping the joy out of chicken keeping and I'd like to find a solution aside from getting another coop and separating them. I can't afford to buy another coop so I'd need to build something. Oh and I tried pinless peepers with two of the bullies and they freaked out hard and wouldn't eat for three days so I took them off.

 

[aart]

I can't afford to buy another coop so I'd need to build something.

Post pics and dimensions of what you have now.

How old are these birds(in weeks or months) and have they been together since hatching?

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, photos and dimensions please.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

6 hens

• 24 square feet in the coop. 4'x6' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber. If you can't walk into it, put the access door in the middle of the long side to make sure you can reach all areas of the coop because a stubborn chicken WILL press itself into/lay an egg in the back corner where you can't reach.
• 6 feet of roost
• 60 square feet in the run. 6'x10' or 8'x8'.
• 6 square feet of ventilation.
• 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice

Note that these measurements are both suggested minimums and *guidelines* rather than hard-and-fast rules. Sometimes you can get away with a little less -- with docile birds in some circumstances. Sometimes these minimums are not enough because some birds are more active, more territorial, or otherwise just the sort that need more elbow room.

 

[aart]

Note that these measurements are both suggested minimums and *guidelines* rather than hard-and-fast rules.

This should be emphasized.

 

[3KillerBs]

This should be emphasized.

*nods*

Last year I had 5 raised-together pullets of laid-back breeds in a coop built for 4 -- because I have a massively-oversized run and an exceedingly-forgiving climate.

I can't imagine keeping 4 hens in my Little Monitor Coop all winter in a situation where they couldn't/wouldn't go outside and spend most of their time there.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Great posts! Pictures would definitely help!

 

[Mrs. K]

OP - you are so right, the mean girls are destroying your joy. SELL them.

• You give the remaining birds more room
• You get rid of the more aggressive birds - who will probably do just fine in a bigger flock,
• you reduce your feed bill
• you get more room to add chicks
• you enjoy the flock again.

You should easily get $10-15 per bird.

Birds raised together get along no better than birds raised apart. Some birds just do not get along in this flock. ALWAYS solve for peace in the flock. Chickens really are not forever friends, sell them.

MRs K

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Feather picking is due to lack of protien sex links need lots due to the amount of egg they lay

 

[Smartbomb71]

Wow thank you all so much for your generous responses. It's spitting down freezing rain and snow at the moment. I'll get back with pictures of everything. I got them some 30% turkey feed to bump up the protein. I bought them all at the same time from Tractor Supply. Loretta has always been a pill. The first time she met my cat she chased him off haha. I'm thinking the big three might have to go. It's heartbreaking but I agree about solving for the peace of the flock.