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.

 

[Ridgerunner]

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.

Good questions. It is easier if we know what you are working with. Measurements and photos can both help.

My goals for integration is that no one gets injured. As long as no one gets hurt life is good.

In my flock it is pretty normal for immature chickens to avoid more mature chickens during the day and at night when sleeping. That does not mean none of them ever mingle when young, just that most don't. With living animals you do not get guarantees as to behaviors. Once the young ones mature to the point that they are ready to lay they are usually allowed to join the main pecking order and sleep and eat with the big girls.

I don't care where mine sleep as long as it is predator safe and is not the nests. Yours sometimes sleep in the nests. There are different strategies to deal with that. I remove any that try and toss them on the coop floor. Others may move them to roosts (which roosts depends on what your coop looks like) or block the nests until they put themselves to bed. Without knowing what you are working with I hesitate to make specific suggestions.

Yours is a fairly common problem, people solve it all of the time. Good luck!

 

[Goober9]

Good questions. It is easier if we know what you are working with. Measurements and photos can both help.

My goals for integration is that no one gets injured. As long as no one gets hurt life is good.

In my flock it is pretty normal for immature chickens to avoid more mature chickens during the day and at night when sleeping. That does not mean none of them ever mingle when young, just that most don't. With living animals you do not get guarantees as to behaviors. Once the young ones mature to the point that they are ready to lay they are usually allowed to join the main pecking order and sleep and eat with the big girls.

I don't care where mine sleep as long as it is predator safe and is not the nests. Yours sometimes sleep in the nests. There are different strategies to deal with that. I remove any that try and toss them on the coop floor. Others may move them to roosts (which roosts depends on what your coop looks like) or block the nests until they put themselves to bed. Without knowing what you are working with I hesitate to make specific suggestions.

Yours is a fairly common problem, people solve it all of the time. Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback. Here's a pic of the henhouse. The roosting perch is 48" long. The overall fully enclosed coop (with run) is 4ftx12ft. We also have an automated door to a fenced in external pen that's over 365 sqft with lots of places to hide and perch.

 

[Goober9]

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!

Hiya, sorry for the late response and thanks for the feedback. Here's a pic of the henhouse. The roosting perch is 48" long. The overall fully enclosed coop (with run) is 4ftx12ft. We also have an automated door to a fenced in external pen that's over 365 sqft with lots of places to hide and perch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That enclosed section does not look 12' long, probably closer to 4x4 at most judging by the nests and that roost being 4 feet long? Maybe my perspective is just off. How many nests are in there? Four? How big is the enclosed section? I think that 4x12 section is divided into separate coop and run sections. Hopefully it is bigger than it looks.

On a 4' roost the two younger ones cannot get very far away from the older girls so they are likely to get pecked. I was hoping you had enough roost length you could put up a piece of plywood or cardboard to block one end off from the other so they could sleep without seeing each other but you may be tight for roost length even when they are fully integrated.

It looks like a walk-in coop but if you put up another roost that will limit your access. How close is that current roost to the far end? It looks like a removable roost, just lift it out.

If you can, I'd move that roost closer to the far end, 12" to 16" off of the wall. Then add an easily removable roost 12" or so from the door and maybe 6" lower than the first roost. Maybe drop it from the ceiling and make it 20" to 24" long. It being lower should discourage the first 4 from using it. Move them to that lower roost at night if they are in the nests. Access for you may be tight to do that.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I second looking into the possibility of adding a second roost. For 6 birds you'd want 60-72" of roost, and that's assuming they all get along. Having a 2nd roost at least 14-16" or so from the first would give the younger birds a roost they could use without being too close to the adults.

Example of my set up with 4 week olds on a lower roost: