Bullying Bird

[junebuggena]

You can try removing the aggressive bird for a few days to reset the pecking order and then add her back in. It sometimes works for a young girl that's just getting a bit too big for her britches, so to speak. She will basically be a 'new' bird. Being the smallest and 'newest' in the flock, the others should make it clear that she's at the bottom of the order. If she is truly an aggressive bird the only solution may be to rehome her, with full disclosure about her temperament.
Your EE, Australorp, and RIR are considered large breeds. Large breeds need about 5 sq ft in the coop and at least 12 sq ft in the run. With you estimate of 144 sq ft available, you have enough room for about 8 large breed birds, not 9. Extra Large breeds like standard Cochin, Brahma, and Giants need even more space.

 

[HennaRose]

Thank you. Should I bring Bianca in and let Sophie out today while it's daylight, or wait until tonight when they're sleeping?

Regarding space, even if that is only enough space for eight bigger birds, it's still more than enough for four, and it would still be enough after the new birds are added (they're another Leghorn, a Fayoumi, and a Sicilian Buttercup). There will be a total of seven, assuming I don't have to get rid of any.

I'm aware that Fayoumis like to roam, which is why the garden area will be fully open to them by the time the new birds are moved outside. The garden is roughly 1000 sqft and only about a third of it will be blocked off when I'm not out there, to protect my plants from the chickens. I am also considering fencing in the rest of the back yard with aviary netting if that isn't enough space for the roaming type; the entire yard is close to 2000 sqft and has plenty of hiding places.

 

[junebuggena]

I would swap them out in the evening, after roosting time. The whole flock is more docile at that time. Just a note of warning if you plan on letting you birds roam you garden, get some bird netting and cover everything you don't want them eating/destroying with it. It's a lightweight black netting that is not very noticeable, but is really good at protecting things like flower beds and vegetable patches from ever voracious chickens. A bit of black netting I have to squint to see from my out my windows is a small price to pay in order to enjoy my garden fresh tomatoes.

 

[HennaRose]

I'm planning on building fully-enclosed "houses", made with wood and wire, for the plants I don't want the chickens to get into. I figure it'll also help against any errant rodents or wild birds that may somehow get into the garden, and the chickens can come peck and scratch and eat the bugs in whichever section I'm working in but I can close them off when I'm not out there. I'm going to leave them with some garden beds just for them too.

 

[Mrs. K]

I don't think space is the problem. The reason we all mention it, is it is the most common problem.

I would pull the aggressive bird, see how the flock acts, generally one of two things happen. Your flock is peaceful in a few days. Then you can add the other bird back, see if it is a go. If not, then she should either go, or try the pin less peepers, I have heard of good results with them by other posters.

The other thing might happen, is that anew bird will step up to be the bully to the victim. Then you might need to get rid of the victim. There is a theory that chickens can sense an illness or a health issue well before humans do. I myself had this happen, and with in a few days of this behavior, the hen was dead.

So frustrating,

Mrs K

 

[HennaRose]

I put Sophie back in the coop after dark tonight and she seemed to snuggle right into the usual hen-pile (yes, they all sleep in a pile on the ground, despite perfectly good roosts) without any fuss from the other birds. I’ll see how they do in the morning; if Bianca’s still being aggressive I’ll bring her inside for a day or two and see how that goes.

Or, if another chicken starts bullying her, I'll see about removing her. I'd hate for that to be the case. Apart from the fact that she's the sweetest bird in the flock, she's also my only colored-egg-layer and I won't be able to bring in another one for a while.

 

[junebuggena]

About them not using the roosts, how wide are they? Larger breeds generally will not use roosts that are too narrow for their feet to fit flat on.

 

[Mrs. K]

About them not using the roosts, how wide are they? Larger breeds generally will not use roosts that are too narrow for their feet to fit flat on.

I have large dual purpose birds, and mine roost. I have both flat and old fashioned round roosts, and mine prefer the round ones that they wrap their feet on.

Mrs K

 

[HennaRose]

They're about 3" wide, and round. The birds will play on them, hop around on them, etc, but they don't like to sleep on them.

The chickens appear to be getting along just fine this morning. There was no pecking and no arguing when I let them out at 7, and nobody was injured or being bullied when I went out to check on them at 10:30. I’ll keep an eye on them over today just to make sure, but it looks like I no longer have to have a house-chicken, and hopefully I won't have to rehome anybody after all.

 

[HennaRose]

Nevermind. There was peace in the coop, until Bianca laid another egg and started pecking Sophie's foot again. Rosie and Matilda were leaving her alone, which leads me to believe that it's Bianca being a bully, and not Sophie being ill.

So now Bianca's inside. How long to I keep her away from the others? A day, two?

C'mon, chickens. I need you to play nice and get along.