Bullying Brat!

[Pupsnpullets]

I have 4 young pullets, 3 siblings @ 5 months and 1 @ 3.5. One of them has turned into Super B***h! She was alway very confident, no self esteem issues noted, but now she's taking it too far. She keeps the other 3 contained in the chicken house while she has the whole run to herself and boy does she get after any bold soul that attempts to come out the door.

How do I deal with this? She's a great looking bird and soon to lay so I don't really want to cull her. Besides, since the coyotes ate all my layers I need fresh eggs

 

[priszilla]

can you seperate her for a while- give her a time out?Maybe the others will have built up some self esteem after a day or 2 away f rom her ( or pen her inside the run )

 

[birdy_num_nums]

I was just coming here to ask basically the same question.

I have a 7 week old Silver Laced Cochin who started picking on another chick a couple weeks ago. I removed the hurt one, and she's been living the high life by herself and healing very nicely. I also separated the flock into three brooders: 1-4-6 (11 chooks total) to alleviate crowding as they grew.

We've been working diligently on the coop and the chooks should be able to spend their first night in it tomorrow night; if not, then the next night for certain. And wouldn't you know it tonight I noticed that two pullets in with Cochin are getting picked on- watched for a while and caught her in the act

I think my next step is to separate Cochin out by herself, is this right? How long is a good amount of time to break her of her bullying? Ok to keep her in a dog crate within the coop, so in the coop with the rest, but unable to access her targets?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

If you can try separating her for a few days. The idea being to change the pecking order. If when you put her back in the behavior continues then separate her again for a little longer, say a week or two. Then try to reintroduce her.

Good luck!