Bully Chicken!

[Cdevine90]

Help! Any suggestions on how to deal with a chicken bully?

We had a flock of 4 (3 hens and a roo).

One of our hens went broody so we let her hatch two chicks (eggs from bully hen) , and kept them seperate in a crate with surrogate mum.

At 8 weeks we introduced the crate to the chicken area (attempted to let the “mum” out but was picked on so popped her back in with babies, never had an issue with pecking prior) . We left for a little over a week before letting them into the coop at night - a little pecking from one hen and the other very agressive, cornering and and attacking even at night! This time we removed the bully hen and put her in the crate, in the run, for a week. Let her out and straight back to attacking! We then put her in the crate, away from the other chickens and reintroduced after about 5 days alone.

I tried to leave her in for a day just to see if she’d settle down but she has drawn blood from pecking the “chicks”

She’s back in crate jail away from the coop/run now!

Any suggestions, or something I’m doing wrong? Coop is ok size and access to free range so I don’t think space is an issue and have been making sure there is plenty of food and water available.

Pic of bully and the chicks!

 

[nuthatched]

Chickens don't like change or new birds, they don't recognize the mum bird and it will be awhile before the accept the chicks. Did you try keeping them on either side of a fence for a few weeks? So they can see each other but not touch each other.

 

[Cdevine90]

Chickens don't like change or new birds, they don't recognize the mum bird and it will be awhile before the accept the chicks. Did you try keeping them on either side of a fence for a few weeks? So they can see each other but not touch each other.

I put them in a large dog crate in the pen for a week (so they could be seen but not touched).
I then swapped the “bully” into the crate as the other hen and rooster accepted them back into the flock

 

[nuthatched]

I put them in a large dog crate in the pen for a week (so they could be seen but not touched).
I then swapped the “bully” into the crate as the other hen and rooster accepted them back into the flock

For future note, If they're in a crate in the pen, they can't get away from the others and are being constantly watched. It's unnerving and encourages bullying. This process takes a few weeks. Try adding clutter to your run so there can be something between them.
You can try painless peepers on the bully.

 

[Cdevine90]

For future note, If they're in a crate in the pen, they can't get away from the others and are being constantly watched. It's unnerving and encourages bullying. This process takes a few weeks. Try adding clutter to your run so there can be something between them.
You can try painless peepers on the bully.

Thank you very much!

 

[Cdevine90]

For future note, If they're in a crate in the pen, they can't get away from the others and are being constantly watched. It's unnerving and encourages bullying. This process takes a few weeks. Try adding clutter to your run so there can be something between them.
You can try painless peepers on the bully.

Also would you recommend keeping the bully seperate, or the chicks?

Currently 2 existing hens, rooster and the two chicks all happy and bully caged separately

 

[nuthatched]

Also would you recommend keeping the bully seperate, or the chicks?

Currently 2 existing hens, rooster and the two chicks all happy and bully caged separately

I'd keep her on the other side of the fence, do she can mingle. Hopefully she'll accept the chicks.

 

[spies04]

I have ten chickens - nine hens and one bantam rooster. I had a similar situation that two hens suddenly started picking on one of my seasoned hens. I thought it was because they were sensing she was getting older or sick and were trying to take her out of the house. The way I addressed it was putting in some "hand-made" toys and treats that I got suggestions from this wonderful site to keep the ladies busy doing something else. For a bit, I put the older chicken in a smaller pen that they were all still interactive so she could eat and sleep without being stressed. And over time, it did improve. Today, being in MN and all of the snow, my crew has been in more and because my chicken house is larger, they are able to keep away from each other and the only time I am seeing some light "aggression" is when I put new feed in. So, right now, I pour a small pile of seed to let my older lady eat by herself and I ensure that the others stay away from her standing in there for more than a few minutes. I am not sure if me telling them that they need to stay away from her while she eats has shown that I am running the show or not, but it has definitely gotten better. She has gained weight back, no feathers missing any more and she has been accepted by a few of the others. Good Luck! It is so hard to see our treasured flock be cranky and not get along.