Bedtime Bullying

[Goober9]

Hello BYC Community! I have a bedtime bullying and pecking order problem.

Background / Set Up:
Our henhouse has a roosting perch and nesting boxes within. All 6 of my lovely ladies happy enter the hen house every evening. My original 4 ladies are about 25wks old. Months ago we were gifted two Marans. We got them at 1 wk old and they are now about 14wks old. The age difference is about 10 wks. I did a very slow ‘look don’t touch’ integration process using a dog crate in the coop. Since integration day (months ago) during the day, everyone gets along well. I’ve ensured that the roosting perch is an adequate length for all 6 ladies.

Problem:
Whenever my two younger Marans perch on the roosting bar, one or more 4 older ladies continuously to peck at them. This continues until the two younger ones simple hop off the perch and go to sleep in the nesting boxes or ground.

What I’ve Tried:
I’ve tried blocking off the nesting boxes at night, but that doesn’t stop the bullying when the younger ones try to perch. I’ve tried adding another roosting perch in-between the nesting box and original perch but the bedtime bullying still takes place and the girls either end up sleeping in the nesting boxes or on the ground if the nesting boxes are blocked off.

Question/Advise Needed:
Should I take no action and just wait a bit until the younger ones are old enough and can defend themselves? Perhaps once the younger ones are bigger and older, I’ll block off the nesting boxes at night again for a few weeks until they get the message that the must sleep on the roosting perch and defend themselves if needed?

Thoughts?

Original 4 Ladies – 25wks Old

• Buff Orpington (Buffy the Egg’s Layer)
• Easter Egger (Hey-Hey)
• Barred Rock (Roxy)
• Blue Plymouth Rock (Bluey)

Younger Ladies - now 14wks are Midnight Majesty Marans – Midnight and Maggie Pie
Thanks!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

If that is the only time it’s happening I say leave them be to settle it. It’s perfectly normal even in established, cohesive flocks for a little squabbling over “prime” roost space to occur. It will happen whenever something in the coop or flock changes (someone starts laying, someone goes broody, someone tries to take on the top hen, someone gets sick, etc). Let them sort it out or you will be sorting out issues forever. The only time I intervene in pecking order stuff is if blood gets involved and then i remove the bully. This doesn’t sound like your issue

 

[thecatumbrella]

Mind posting a pic of the inside of your coop?

The behavior's totally normal. Even mine, who were all raised together, do it as part of their bedtime pecking order. Still, I understand you wanting the new girls to have a spot where they can relax without getting whacked on the head!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of the roost would help a lot.

Also numbers would help. Measurements for the coop itself, the length of roost(s), number of roosts, how far apart horizontally are roosts (if more than one), etc.