Bedtime drama

[LaFleche]

At only 9 weeks old your harrassed bird pictured above is a male as comb and wattles are way too big and red for a pullet this young.
Maybe find him a new home before he gets sick or starved to death with all the bullying going on.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

No, they don't know sexes as far as I know. If they did, they don't reveal it in any way or I'd know the sex of my silkies far sooner than 3-4 months.

This is a really good question IMO. I think it's possible they do know, but it doesn't matter until hormones kick in.

 

[Rick589]

This is a really good question IMO. I think it's possible they do know, but it doesn't matter until hormones kick in.

I was asking thinking that if they did know from the beginning then maybe some tell tale interactions between the different sexes may give a clue to their ‘staff’, otherwise known as humans. Of course, there’s always the possibility that they do know but keep it a secret on purpose.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

 

[Pukkits]

When we moved our 8 new lavender and chocolate orpington pullets in with our pair of five year old girls, bedtime was a discussion. Our older buff orpington has no ego, so she was fine with the lower roost. Her best friend the barred rock was *not* OK with her bestie on the lower bar. Becky the barred rock would bowl five chocolate orpingtons off the upper bar with the nearly audible effect of a strike of nine pins, then coo until Lucia the buff orp would jump up with her. Only then were the silly chocolate pullets allowed back on the upper bar. Becky is gone now, but thankfully our lavender orpingtons also have no ego and are happy to cuddle up with Lucia on the lower bar.

I think there's usually some bedtime order discussions. I'm sorry your birds are being so mean to the little guy though.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

there’s always the possibility that they do know but keep it a secret on purpose.

Yeah, let's go with that. Sneaky girls keeping secrets from dumb humans, sounds about right. They all had me convinced my two broodies had hatched a cockerel and a lovely pullet until they were 4 months old and my eyes were miraculously opened and I realized I had TWO COCKERELS!!!

 

[BDutch]

@Rick589 , I had multiple integration problems like you describe for several years with all my juveniles, while there is enough space for 8 hens and a bunch of chicks. Adding roosts didn’t help. The older hens just wouldn’t accept juveniles. Not 1, not 10 and nothing in between.

Last year I decided to buy an extra coop.
Again the mama and her 3 juveniles tried to sleep with the other hens. But no. No way they the juveniles were allowed in the adult coop.
The family started to roost in the small broody coop until it got very cramped. Some time after I finished the new coop, I took the family from the roost in the evening and put them one by one in the new coop.

Next day the mother and one juvenile went into ‘their’ new coop by themselves (If I remember right). I moved the other two juveniles a second and third time and maybe a 4th time. But within a week they all roosted happily in their spacious new coop (a converted children’s playhouse) .

Never had any problems or arguing since.
sometimes the chickens trade places. The chickens divide themselves between the 2 coops 4 + 4 or 3 + 5.

 

[Rick589]

@Rick589 , I had multiple integration problems like you describe for several years with all my juveniles, while there is enough space for 8 hens and a bunch of chicks. Adding roosts didn’t help. The older hens just wouldn’t accept juveniles. Not 1, not 10 and nothing in between.

Last year I decided to buy an extra coop.
Again the mama and her 3 juveniles tried to sleep with the other hens. But no. No way they the juveniles were allowed in the adult coop.
The family started to roost in the small broody coop until it got very cramped. Some time after I finished the new coop, I took the family from the roost in the evening and put them one by one in the new coop.

Next day the mother and one juvenile went into ‘their’ new coop by themselves (If I remember right). I moved the other two juveniles a second and third time and maybe a 4th time. But within a week they all roosted happily in their spacious new coop (a converted children’s playhouse) .

Never had any problems or arguing since.
sometimes the chickens trade places. The chickens divide themselves between the 2 coops 4 + 4 or 3 + 5.

Makes you wonder what exactly is running through their chicken brains, doesn’t it.

 

[abbaschickens]

You could also put the bully in a dog crate or metal dog pen at night in the coop. So you don't have re-introduction issues. This is how I introduce new birds or new families. It let's everyone get familiar without big pecking order issues.