Bullied Hen Won't Roost or Lay

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Hello,

Over our first year and a half of chicken-keeping, we've had several illnesses/injuries that ended up splitting our flock due to re-integration issues. We had 5 girls in our large coop/run and then 2 hens who had healed from long-term issues in a smaller coop/run alongside the main one. One of the two is our lovely BO, "Glory," who was found badly bleeding after we first tried to reintegrate her. When one of her flock mates went through a bumble foot ordeal, they ended up being roomies in a separate coop and all ways harmonious (we call them "Thelma and Louise" because they'd stick together like glue).

After free ranging a bunch over this summer, we finally felt confident enough to put the 2 girls back into the main coop. Often, they'd choose to hang out in the big coop while free-ranging anyway, and I thought that maybe they missed it there and wanted to be back. All went a lot more smoothly (no injuries, bleeding, or missing feathers), however my poor BO is again the target of low-key but persistent bullying--persistent enough that she hasn't laid in 4 or 5 days since the move, and I've had to add an extra feeder out there to make sure she's not deterred from eating. While they don't team up on her like the first go-round, she's constantly getting put in her place by each hen (except her partner), whether she sidles up to drink or eat, or if she just happens to wander by one and it's feeling bratty. It's gotta be stressful on her. She's so big and sweet but she sticks out like a sore thumb among the others.

To top this off, while Glory was in the little coop/run with her friend, they got in the habit of sleeping in the nesting boxes, even though there were roosts available. We'd put them on and they'd hop off and curl up together in the box. Now that they're back in the big coop, Glory is always sleeping alone in the nesting boxes while the others are all roosting. I don't know if it's a habit, skittishness, or that she's getting bullied, or a bit of everything. There is plenty of roosting space available.

I feel so sorry for re-integrating, but we were hoping to have them together for the winter AND also have our smaller coop/run freed up for emergencies/weird scenarios (which abound when you have chickens!). Any tips on helping with the stress and getting her comfortable/laying again? We've been thinking of adding a rooster due to predator issues, and to keep flock harmony. Or, perhaps I should keep them divided.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Hello. I’m sorry this is happening to you! I had something similar happen to my BO earlier this year. After 2.5 years of being together, the other flock members all of a sudden decided that my limping Buff was to be ostracized from the group. She was off on her own all the time and would sleep in the nesting boxes. It was bad bullying, lots of feather picking, fighting, etc. Each situation is different, but here’s what I did to help with reintegration (she’s now back with the flock):

1. I made sure she was getting plenty of food and water. I actually fed her separately for a week or two (scrambled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, mixed with her regular feed).

2.When it was time to start reintegration, I would let Buff out first, lure her over with some scratch, then have my husband let the others out, and while feeding them all some scratch, I was ready with the high power garden hose to blast whoever was bullying her. The majority of the hens got the point once they got blasted with water once or twice, haha.

3.There was one hen in particular that was the bully. Is there one or two hens in your flock that are clearly bullying your BO? I took my bully hen and put her in a small milk crate for a few hours IMMEDIATELY after I saw she was going after my Buff. I’d recommend seeing if you have a clear bully hen and isolate her.

4. As for sleeping in the nesting boxes, she’s probably doing that because she gets picked on at night for roost space. I know I’m in the minority here on BYC, but I don’t mind if my hens sleep in the nesting boxes! I have one hen who does and I don’t mind and she doesn’t have any issues in the flock.

Hopefully the extra feeding, hose squirting, and bully isolating may help you. Let me know if you have any other questions and I’ll do my best to help

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Hello. I’m sorry this is happening to you! I had something similar happen to my BO earlier this year. After 2.5 years of being together, the other flock members all of a sudden decided that my limping Buff was to be ostracized from the group. She was off on her own all the time and would sleep in the nesting boxes. It was bad bullying, lots of feather picking, fighting, etc. Each situation is different, but here’s what I did to help with reintegration (she’s now back with the flock):

1. I made sure she was getting plenty of food and water. I actually fed her separately for a week or two (scrambled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, mixed with her regular feed).

2.When it was time to start reintegration, I would let Buff out first, lure her over with some scratch, then have my husband let the others out, and while feeding them all some scratch, I was ready with the high power garden hose to blast whoever was bullying her. The majority of the hens got the point once they got blasted with water once or twice, haha.

3.There was one hen in particular that was the bully. Is there one or two hens in your flock that are clearly bullying your BO? I took my bully hen and put her in a small milk crate for a few hours IMMEDIATELY after I saw she was going after my Buff. I’d recommend seeing if you have a clear bully hen and isolate her.

4. As for sleeping in the nesting boxes, she’s probably doing that because she gets picked on at night for roost space. I know I’m in the minority here on BYC, but I don’t mind if my hens sleep in the nesting boxes! I have one hen who does and I don’t mind and she doesn’t have any issues in the flock.

Hopefully the extra feeding, hose squirting, and bully isolating may help you. Let me know if you have any other questions and I’ll do my best to help

Thank you for your thorough and helpful response! I'd say I'm glad my poor BO is not alone, however I also don't wish her plight on any other fluffy sweethearts. I wonder if that is typical of the breed. She's sooo big compared to the others but she has such an amenable disposition, which makes her an easy target. Not to mention all my birds are sleek and mostly darker, and she is a bright butterball you can see from a mile away. I do think there's something to that.

Luckily, the bullying isn't too vicious but still enough to dampen her quality of life a good bit. It's been about a week that she's been out there, and she hasn't suffered missing feathers or visible bleeding but I can tell she's unable to fully relax, eat, drink, and be merry to her liking--which KILLS me. In regards to your amazing tips:

1. Great idea! I did add extra feeders, and have been bringing out supplemental mash in multiple dishes. For some reason they are better sharing with her from plates of mash but not the feeders, perhaps because they feel it's "theirs."

2. I love this. My hens HATE the hose. I was thinking about a high powered super soaker so I could relive my youth a bit while fighting coop crime. I'd been doing a rooster thing with a sharp little poke from two of my fingers when they'd harass her but they come right back at her, fists swinging.

3. Sadly, the bullying trickles down from the top. The worst is probably the one who used to be the bottom rung, probably ensuring Glory stays in her place at rock bottom. I bet she's enjoying being one level up now. But the two boss girls also give her heck sometimes, and the one in the middle (but less so). The only one who always leaves her alone is her former flatmate, "Drucie," a lone wolf GLW with a "kill bite" that ensures everyone gives her a wide berth (if only she'd stick up for Glory, I think the problem would be solved--but she definitely likes to opt out of the mainstream drama).

4. I don't mind, either, other than feeling sorry that she's on the outside (or worrying she gets cold or is somehow more "prone"). You are right that it's likely the bullying, though I do think it's also her "comfort zone" since it's how she chose to sleep with Drucie in the old coop.

My biggest concern is that she stopped laying. I'm hoping it's just the stress and she'll get back in the groove soon. I just don't want any health issues like egg binding to stem from this. She's still lively and pooping so I assume that's not the case (yet).

Thanks again

 

[lbgreenfield]

Thank you for your thorough and helpful response! I'd say I'm glad my poor BO is not alone, however I also don't wish her plight on any other fluffy sweethearts. I wonder if that is typical of the breed. She's sooo big compared to the others but she has such an amenable disposition, which makes her an easy target. Not to mention all my birds are sleek and mostly darker, and she is a bright butterball you can see from a mile away. I do think there's something to that.

Luckily, the bullying isn't too vicious but still enough to dampen her quality of life a good bit. It's been about a week that she's been out there, and she hasn't suffered missing feathers or visible bleeding but I can tell she's unable to fully relax, eat, drink, and be merry to her liking--which KILLS me. In regards to your amazing tips:

1. Great idea! I did add extra feeders, and have been bringing out supplemental mash in multiple dishes. For some reason they are better sharing with her from plates of mash but not the feeders, perhaps because they feel it's "theirs."

2. I love this. My hens HATE the hose. I was thinking about a high powered super soaker so I could relive my youth a bit while fighting coop crime. I'd been doing a rooster thing with a sharp little poke from two of my fingers when they'd harass her but they come right back at her, fists swinging.

3. Sadly, the bullying trickles down from the top. The worst is probably the one who used to be the bottom rung, probably ensuring Glory stays in her place at rock bottom. I bet she's enjoying being one level up now. But the two boss girls also give her heck sometimes, and the one in the middle (but less so). The only one who always leaves her alone is her former flatmate, "Drucie," a lone wolf GLW with a "kill bite" that ensures everyone gives her a wide berth (if only she'd stick up for Glory, I think the problem would be solved--but she definitely likes to opt out of the mainstream drama).

4. I don't mind, either, other than feeling sorry that she's on the outside (or worrying she gets cold or is somehow more "prone"). You are right that it's likely the bullying, though I do think it's also her "comfort zone" since it's how she chose to sleep with Drucie in the old coop.

My biggest concern is that she stopped laying. I'm hoping it's just the stress and she'll get back in the groove soon. I just don't want any health issues like egg binding to stem from this. She's still lively and pooping so I assume that's not the case (yet).

Thanks again

You’re welcome! I know how frustrating your situation can be. And how frustrating lack of responses on BYC can be. Let me know how it goes! Feel free to PM me if you need some extra advice

 

[aart]

I was thinking about a high powered super soaker so I could relive my youth a bit while fighting coop crime.

This cracked me up!!

How big are these coops and runs, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics, inside and out, might garner some more suggestions.

Maybe put the 3 in the smaller setup for a few days and nights,
let the 2 have the bigger setup....might disrupt the territoriality issue.
I think I got the numbers right?
After a few days of that put one of the 3 in with the 2 in the bigger setup.
Mix and Match Chicken Juggling!

I don't like birds sleeping in the nests, I block them off to encourage using the roosts.
Multiple roosts, or dividing a roost with a 'wall', can help with this.

 

[Mrs. K]

just a large piece of cardboard can temporarily split a roost. I can't stand the poop in the nest! Ugh!

When you have multiple feeders - make sure a bird eating at one station cannot see a bird eating at another station. Do have plenty of hide outs, platforms, roosts...just clutter in your run. Birds need to be able to get out of sight in multiple places. Many runs I see are just a wide open rectangle - where a bird can see any other bird all the time.

Mrs K

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

This cracked me up!!

How big are these coops and runs, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics, inside and out, might garner some more suggestions.

Maybe put the 3 in the smaller setup for a few days and nights,
let the 2 have the bigger setup....might disrupt the territoriality issue.
I think I got the numbers right?
After a few days of that put one of the 3 in with the 2 in the bigger setup.
Mix and Match Chicken Juggling!

I don't like birds sleeping in the nests, I block them off to encourage using the roosts.
Multiple roosts, or dividing a roost with a 'wall', can help with this.

The large run is 8 x 20, and large coop is 4 x 8. The smaller run is about 1/3 the size but the coop is the length of one half of the run (I don't know the dimensions offhand--husband built it and is not around). I've attached pictures though I currently don't have any of the inside of the coops. The photo of the GLW and BO are "Drucie" and "Glory," respectively (those are the two who roomed together in the "sunshine coop" AKA smaller coop/run). Funny thing is, their first few days in the big coop were pretty peaceful. Then one hen from the middle of the pecking order, an EE I've posted about TONS, fell ill and has been in a hospital pen. I'm pretty certain the bullying aimed at Glory revved up upon her removal (even though the EE wasn't very friendly to the BO). The girls are attached to their little runty sister and perhaps they linked the arrival of my BO with the EE's sudden absence.

I like your idea of the mix n' match chicken juggling! We may try that. We are also thinking of just letting the two docile girls live in peace in the small coop, maybe add some friends down the line who are bantams or just not big hybrids. These two are pretty easygoing/not bullies.

A few hours ago, I let the BO into her old flat to see if she needed to lay. When she started to look around and recognize the place, she made this purring sound she makes when she is really happy and relaxed (I've only ever heard her do it when dust bathing with her BFF). When her bestie, Drucie, heard her from the big coop, she started purring in response. So, I melted, and reunited the two. Not sure if it's a longterm solution but it was nice to see them happy in their old digs.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

just a large piece of cardboard can temporarily split a roost. I can't stand the poop in the nest! Ugh!

When you have multiple feeders - make sure a bird eating at one station cannot see a bird eating at another station. Do have plenty of hide outs, platforms, roosts...just clutter in your run. Birds need to be able to get out of sight in multiple places. Many runs I see are just a wide open rectangle - where a bird can see any other bird all the time.

Mrs K

Great ideas, thank you! It is a bit of an obstacle course in there (great for them, a death trap for me when I'm running around after chickens lol). But hiding the 2nd feeder is great and will give it a try. Right now they're separated again--I was just so worried Glory might need to lay and all of this stress was gonna get her egg bound. I'm a softy.

I do think reunion is viable because the bullying never got bloody or particularly intense; but I prefer my BO have a high quality of life without having to deal with any nastiness.

 

[Mrs. K]

After looking at your pictures - and sometimes they are deceiving, is that neither set up is big enough for ALL of the birds, and you would do better to split the flock as you have.

Mrs K

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

After looking at your pictures - and sometimes they are deceiving, is that neither set up is big enough for ALL of the birds, and you would do better to split the flock as you have.

Mrs K

That's a shame! We thought an 8 x 16 run would be fine for all seven (might be 6 unnless our long-term sick chicken bounced back from her take moult/EYP episode... Fingers crossed that won't be the case). We will separate.