Bedtime stresstime

[Jenjens]

Hi everyone,

My chickens attack each other every single night all night in their coop until it's dark. They fight over roosting spots and sometimes 2 hens (or the rooster and a hen) attack a hen by pecking at her both at the same time until she jumps up and keeps trying to sit somewhere. And I mean anywhere she goes, it's not acceptable for them. Now, this is my favorite girl, so it is difficult to not act emotionally about this. It's not just her, it's the rooster and the top hen doing this to everyone else, and I have 2 new girls as well, so they figured it out and go in before everyone else, so it hasn't been THAT bad for them (but still pretty bad).

I have a total of 7, and they have plenty of room. I have a high roost on the right side of the wall where the 2 new girls decided to go, one long roost a little lower in the middle of the coop, (where only 1 chicken uses)!! and then 3 other spots which are actually raised steps that they lay their eggs in underneath, which seems to be the most popular, which I hate because they just poop and lay down on the surface all night.

They are 1 1/2 years old and this is still going on. We added the higher roost hoping it would help, but it hasn't. Well oh, this is important to note that they used to sleep on the top shelf of the coop (where hay is kept....it used to be for a miniature horse) and they were bullying each other and it wasn't healthy for them, so they have to roost now, so they are stressed from that change, but they did the same thing up there as well.

Any advice please. It is stressful for them, and stressful for me. Thank you.

 

[3KillerBs]

Define "plenty of room". How many square feet of floor space and how many linear feet of roost?

 

[Jenjens]

I am not sure about square feet....it used to be a shed. Maybe 10-12 feet? about 6 feet of roost bar, another is about 2 feet on the side, and then the three tiered shelves. One bantam doesn't use any of those. she sleeps up top somewhere else. So, thinking it would comftorably fit 10 chickens when I only have 6 using that space. Maybe I am wrong? I have seen some people's tiny coops and I think mine is rather spacious.

 

[MarkJr]

Place a slanted top on the flat spot you’re wanting them to stay off of. If they can’t get traction, they won’t roost.

Fastest result her will be a quick picture of what’s going on inside your coop. The smart people here have eagle eyes and point out sometimes the easiest things that are overlooked to make everyone happy.

 

[Jenjens]

Will do.

 

[Mrs. K]

Blocking the sight is probably the easiest. A couple of ways to do that. Take a piece of cardboard, cut a hole in is so that it can fit around the roost, and tape it to the ceiling, so that a bird sitting there can't see any other birds on the same roost.

Another idea is pin-less peepers, which block forward sight, often times dramatically reduces pecking.

Mrs K

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Post measurements of the coop. Length by width, please. Also, chickens like to be on the highest available spot they can sit on, whatever that is. Yes, pictures would really help us to help you.

 

[aart]

RoostTimeRumble.

Yes, pics and dimensions(doesn't everyone have a tape measure?) would help immensely.
Also, 5 birds that are ~18 months old, and 2 younger ones(age now and when were they added)??

 

[lizo97]

I used a piece of shade cloth as a divider and it kept some peace!