bully chicken eats the most, so now 2 chickens aren't laying.

[FremontCAguy]

Hi I have 2 Australorp and RIRs...The RIR were 3 weeks old; the Australorps 3 days old when I got them.

Now the Australorp are bigger, with one that is very big.

Problem I have is that only 2 of them lay...the big bully Australorp and one RIR.
The other 2 are smaller and do not lay.

I think the problem is that the big bully Australorp dominates the food (earlier, they were pecking and I guess she won).
I've tried dividing the food up into two trays but she runs between the two and keep all the good stuff herself (greens and all).

In general,, we feed them layering feed and greens (beet leaves, left over leaves that we gather as refuse every week from the farmers market).

So, HELP! My production is only 50% How to help the other two get food? Ideas I have is to spread the food out into four places (surely it can run to all) but then it's harder to feed. I also don't want this to be long term...

Alternatively, two feeders and somehow put up a temp wall so the two laying ones are in one area during eating, and the other two non layers are in the other area to get their full. After eating they can integrate together (but again, this has to be temporary..I don't want to keep making a wall and 2 feed trays).

THANKS for any tips.

Sonny

 

[Judy]

If they were mine, I would remove the bully for a week, out of sight of the rest, then return her to the flock. She should return at the bottom of the pecking order. It's a commonly used method for dealing with one bully. It might or might not solve your problem, though. In the end, each bird and each flock have their own personality.

 

[FremontCAguy]

Thanks. I'll try solitary confinement and let you know how it goes!...Throw her in the brig!