Bielefelders being attacked by other flock members

[EmmaDonovan]

We have 13 hens, no rooster. Four Bielefelders, 3 Easter eggers, 2 RIRs, 2 black Austrolorps, 2 white leghorns. They are all 6-6.5 months old. They grew up together. They got along perfectly until adolescence.

The two white leghorns are the most aggressive, followed by two of the eggers, RIRs, lorps, and the third egger, in that order. The Bielefelders are the largest hens but they're docile and definitely at the bottom of the pecking order.

We originally had six Bielefelders. One was a cockerel and he was culled. One hen died a few days ago.

The Bielefelder hen who died was their protector. She was more assertive than her sisters and defended the other four. She would square off with anyone who went after them, pecking and flapping her wings to drive them back. The only one she wouldn't directly defend them against was the alpha leghorn. Even then she would bodily interpose herself between the alpha and the other Bielefelders to prevent her from getting at her sisters.

Since her passing there's been an uptick in the attacks on the Bielefelders. Sometimes three will hold down a Bielefelder and dig in their claws and peck and pull at her feathers. We haven't found any wounds or blood, just missing and torn feathers. Their heads and necks are looking a bit scraggly.

They have room in the coop to get away from the aggressors and barriers to move behind so they're out of eyesight which often breaks off an attack. But they're still being attacked and pinned.

There are multiple feeders, waterers, and oyster shell dispensers placed all around the coop so they can't be dominated by anyone. The Bielefelders are fine as far as food and water go, they are getting their fill and have full crops, so that's good.

Random pecking-in-passing happens throughout the day. The worst attacks seem to take place after getting fresh food and water and treats. When we give treats we spread everything waaaaay out so they don't have to battle to get the goodies.

It's after everything has been eaten up that the others seem most aggressive toward the Bielefelders. They pile on and the worst attacks happen then. Maybe the other hens are feeling all full and feisty or something? I don't know what's going on there.

Is it possible the other hens will eventually back off and this is just a surge in bad behavior since the Bielefelder protector is gone? It hurts my heart to see our gentle, friendly Bielefelders being attacked. Where do you draw the line at aggressive behavior?

 

[rosemarythyme]

What does your coop and run space look like? Is there a run or do the birds free range all day? You mention that the coop has barriers and multiple feeders but no information about run or free range space.

It's after everything has been eaten up that the others seem most aggressive

Is food not freely available all day? If you're rationing feed it may not be enough for some of the birds.

Assuming space and feed availability aren't the issues, your Bielefelders might just be too docile to be in the same set up with the others.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

What does your coop and run space look like? Is there a run or do the birds free range all day? You mention that the coop has barriers and multiple feeders but no information about run or free range space.

Is food not freely available all day? If you're rationing feed it may not be enough for some of the birds.

We can't free-range, they're in a temporary pen. Their original run was destroyed by a tornado earlier this summer (all of the chickens survived). It's still summer here so we have to wait until temperatures come down enough to build another permanent run, likely in November or December.

The pen is 191 ft² which is 14+ ft² per bird. It's 65-75" tall. They have constant access to feed, water, oyster shell, toys, natural roosts, stuff to run under and behind and over. There are four nest boxes with curtains.

It never occurred to me there might be a problem mixing Bielefelders with other breeds. They're gentle but since they're larger than the other breeds I figured that would prevent any bullying. I was wrong. The smallest hen in the flock, a white leghorn, is the alpha. She was very sweet and friendly, then she grew up and became a Mean Girl.

I'd rather not separate them into two flocks if possible, but... if we did remove the Bielefelders, won't the most aggressive hens start attacking whomever is at the new bottom of the pecking order, which would probably the Australorps?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sounds like there's enough room but some flocks have a lower tolerance for crowding than others, or your Bielefelders are just that submissive. Mostly its concerning to hear that they're being ganged up on... if it was just one aggressor then removing the aggressor would be the obvious thing to try, but if all the others are teaming up on them then removing the victims might be better.

It's impossible to say what the pecking order will look like if you remove the Bielefelders. The rest of the flock might go on just fine without them (especially since the pen will then offer more space per bird) or you may see some tussling with a reshuffling of pecking order.

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

Mostly its concerning to hear that they're being ganged up on... if it was just one aggressor then removing the aggressor would be the obvious thing to try, but if all the others are teaming up on them then removing the victims might be better.

I was thinking this same thing. But maybe you could still try removing the alpha leghorn for a day or 2 and see of there’s any change.

Out of curiosity, have all of the birds started laying?

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Most are laying but I don't think everyone has. The most we've collected in one day is 11. We get an average of 7-9 eggs per day.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Since the two leghorns seem to be leading the attacks, what if we separate them from the rest of the flock before we spread out the treats?

We could confine them to a smaller part of the pen (where they'd get their own treats) until everyone is done eating the treats. Twenty or thirty minutes after the treats were all gone we could release them back into the main part of the pen with the others.

That might not stop attacks that happen at other times but since we know that post-treat time seems to be a trigger, maybe that would reduce or eliminate the attacks that happen at that time?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since the two leghorns seem to be leading the attacks, what if we separate them from the rest of the flock before we spread out the treats?

We could confine them to a smaller part of the pen (where they'd get their own treats) until everyone is done eating the treats. Twenty or thirty minutes after the treats were all gone we could release them back into the main part of the pen with the others.

That might not stop attacks that happen at other times but since we know that post-treat time seems to be a trigger, maybe that would reduce or eliminate the attacks that happen at that time?

Worth trying. If you do it, report back on if anything changes, for better or worse.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Worth trying. If you do it, report back on if anything changes, for better or worse.

At treat time we remove the two leghorns and put them in an XL dog crate we have set up outside the pen for injured or sick hens (haven't used it as such yet). It's big and they seem happy in there with treats, water and food for a half hour, then we return them to the pen.

That cut down on the after-treats attacks but the Bielefelders are still being pinned and attacked at other times. All four have bald spots now - something they never had while their sister was alive and protecting them.

I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to rehome anyone, especially the Bielefelders. They were my first choice as a breed. The dynamic that has developed is just awful, it breaks my heart. They are such sweet girls. I'm afraid the others are going to draw blood if I can't work something out soon.

 

[rosemarythyme]

At treat time we remove the two leghorns and put them in an XL dog crate we have set up outside the pen for injured or sick hens (haven't used it as such yet). It's big and they seem happy in there with treats, water and food for a half hour, then we return them to the pen.

That cut down on the after-treats attacks but the Bielefelders are still being pinned and attacked at other times. All four have bald spots now - something they never had while their sister was alive and protecting them.

I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to rehome anyone, especially the Bielefelders. They were my first choice as a breed. The dynamic that has developed is just awful, it breaks my heart. They are such sweet girls. I'm afraid the others are going to draw blood if I can't work something out soon.

Is a separate set up (like separate coop with split run) a possibility?