Bully Hen

[maggieandotis]

Hi,

I am a first time chicken owner. I have (5) hens and (1) rooster that are 20 weeks old and all hatched on the same day. I brought them home on their second day here. They came from a local place that had a RIR rooster for the dad and a Buff Orpington for the mom.

Annabelle started laying on Thursday! She is the sweetest of the bunch and loves to sit in my lap and let me pet her. There is another hen, Olga, that is really vocal today and seems like she might be getting ready to lay her first egg, too. She is being very aggressive with Annabelle and wouldn't let Annabelle get near the brooder box (although Annabelle managed to get there), won't let her near the food or water without attacking her (she even drew pinpricks of blood and is just down right bullying her. Olga seems tolerant of the other hens. Do you think this is because she is getting ready to lay and is uncomfortable and sees Annabelle as competition?

I have also read online that overcrowding can cause this behavior. We have our coop maxed out at 6 with the recommended 4-6 birds based on the manufacturer's design. We let them out every night for about one and a half hours. My husband is going to build a yard for them that I can let them out during the day but we have had a recent death in the family that it has taken priority so he hasn't had a single second to do it yet.

Olga definitely has RIR in her. If you didn't know the mother was Buff Orpington, you would think she was 100% RIR. Annabelle is definitely a mix.

Do people think it is because Olga is getting ready to lay her first egg that she is all of a sudden aggressive, overcrowding/boredom, or that she is RIR or all of the above? Will this pass? Will the rooster play referee? Do I need to intervene?

I am attaching photos some photos for your review.

Thanks for the help!
Maggie

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Space is definitely an issue. Manufacturers grossly overestimate the number of birds their coops/pens can handle. Providing feed in multiple places may help. Very likely hormonal increases have increased the unfavorable interactions.

 

[maggieandotis]

Welcome to BYC. Space is definitely an issue. Manufacturers grossly overestimate the number of birds their coops/pens can handle. Providing feed in multiple places may help. Very likely hormonal increases have increased the unfavorable interactions.

Thank you. Will the yard during the day be enough?

 

[sourland]

It will be a big help as long as you have no predation problems. Winter should not be a problem as I am assuming that your weather will be moderate.

 

[maggieandotis]

It will be a big help as long as you have no predation problems. Winter should not be a problem as I am assuming that your weather will be moderate.

We do have coyotes but I was going to put out our rescue dog who is half mastiff/half Anatolian Shepherd with them. I figured between him and our rooster, the ladies would be safe. Do you think that will work?

 

[black_cat]

Agreeing that space is probably a big factor. Prefab coops are often labeled as being big enough for WAY more hens than they actually are. What are the dimensions, in feet x feet? I"d get going on finding a bigger coop if I was you, but adding more food and water stations could help temporarily.

 

[maggieandotis]

Agreeing that space is probably a big factor. Prefab coops are often labeled as being big enough for WAY more hens than they actually are. What are the dimensions, in feet x feet? I"d get going on finding a bigger coop if I was you, but adding more food and water stations could help temporarily.

Thank you. Yes, will talk to my husband today. I just haven't wanted to bother him but know it has become a pressing issue.