Bullying: is this normal!?

[adeadbush]

First time chicken owner. I have five hens of all different breeds. I have two bantams and three full size chickens. One of my bantams has no issues with bullying, one of my bantams seems to be on the bottom of the pecking order.
When I let them free range in my yard, four of them stay together and this little gal is always off solo. She spends a lot of time on the nest compared to the other chickens. I noticed her legs are featherless (she’s frizzled and very fluffy). I checked for mites, no dice. I think she may be plucking her own legs from anxiety because I don’t see the other girls doing that to her or maybe she’s trying to be broody and make a nest? I don’t know. I need seasoned chicken people help here hahah.
When she is with them they tend to lunge for her and she submits and backs off- no blood is drawn but I’m worried about it escalating. She still eats and drinks but she never hangs out with the other chickens if she can help it. All four of the other girls bully her so I don’t think I can isolate the bully? Unless I isolate the most dominant hen to reset the pecking order?
These five have been raised together since they were a day old and they are my pets. They live in a huge coop with a run and I’ve already ordered more chicks for spring this year. I’d really like to fix this issue before worrying about integrating new girls and am hoping not to have to do a bantam coop and a big girl coop or rehome anyone

 

[FunClucks]

The size issue is an issue. Often, having a full size and bantam coop separated is the best solution.

I had a smaller chicken that was persistently bullied. I built another coop/run and put her in with chicks, and she became head hen and lorded it over them all. Her eggs increased in size 20-30% almost immediately because she was getting plenty to eat and wasn't stressed anymore.

If you remove the victim, your other bantam may become the new victim of the larger hens. There is always someone on the bottom of the pecking order. Some hens deal with it better than others, and some hens are meaner than others about enforcing it.

The feathers could be being removed at night on the roost. By herself or others. You'll have to catch them in the act.

Good luck. There are no easy answers here, since you state you don't want to separate them or rehome. You might try putting pinless peepers on the main aggressors, but that's not a permanent solution, and generally is only meant to last for a few months. And finding some that fit on bantams might be a challenge.

 

[adeadbush]

The size issue is an issue. Often, having a full size and bantam coop separated is the best solution.

I had a smaller chicken that was persistently bullied. I built another coop/run and put her in with chicks, and she became head hen and lorded it over them all. Her eggs increased in size 20-30% almost immediately because she was getting plenty to eat and wasn't stressed anymore.

If you remove the victim, your other bantam may become the new victim of the larger hens. There is always someone on the bottom of the pecking order. Some hens deal with it better than others, and some hens are meaner than others about enforcing it.

The feathers could be being removed at night on the roost. By herself or others. You'll have to catch them in the act.

Good luck. There are no easy answers here, since you state you don't want to separate them or rehome. You might try putting pinless peepers on the main aggressors, but that's not a permanent solution, and generally is only meant to last for a few months. And finding some that fit on bantams might be a challenge.

In my research before I got chickens I thought that it was possible to keep multiple sizes of pens together, but maybe not. Ugg. I have also wondered if it’s because she’s the only one who’s fluffy? My other bantam is a bantam red dorking and she’s pretty tough and Hardy and resourceful. Thus far the victim isn’t like suffering physical injury besides feathers but I worry she’s not having the best life she could. These chickens were born in July 2025, so I also wonder if she could be molting and everyone is just kind of on edge for their first molt as adults. I know it’s not normal for spring, but I have read that it can happen when they’re born later in the season.

 

[adeadbush]

The coop

 

[FunClucks]

In my experience, success with multi-size flocks is dependent entirely on the individual chicken personalities involved. So there's a large element of the unknown until you actually have your flock built.

In my victim chicken's case (Chipmunk), she definitely wasn't living her best life. A new victim was chosen in the main flock, but she was the same size as the others, and pretty spunky, so it didn't seem as bad as it was for Chipmunk. And Chipmunk was my favorite hen, so I figured I'd see what I could do for her.

 

[FunClucks]

In my research before I got chickens I thought that it was possible to keep multiple sizes of pens together, but maybe not. Ugg. I have also wondered if it’s because she’s the only one who’s fluffy? My other bantam is a bantam red dorking and she’s pretty tough and Hardy and resourceful. Thus far the victim isn’t like suffering physical injury besides feathers but I worry she’s not having the best life she could. These chickens were born in July 2025, so I also wonder if she could be molting and everyone is just kind of on edge for their first molt as adults. I know it’s not normal for spring, but I have read that it can happen when they’re born later in the season.

Some of my chickens molt at random times. Anywhere from Sept thru February. Just means I get eggs thru winter, so I try not to worry about it too much. They will be fine, regardless of weather. I've been known to put a chicken saddle on a hen I was worried about, just in case she needed a bit of warmth.

 

[adeadbush]

In my experience, success with multi-size flocks is dependent entirely on the individual chicken personalities involved. So there's a large element of the unknown until you actually have your flock built.

In my victim chicken's case (Chipmunk), she definitely wasn't living her best life. A new victim was chosen in the main flock, but she was the same size as the others, and pretty spunky, so it didn't seem as bad as it was for Chipmunk. And Chipmunk was my favorite hen, so I figured I'd see what I could do for her.

Loretta (the victim) is also my favorite hen hahah. She’s adorable and so docile and sweet.

 

[adeadbush]

Loretta (the victim) is also my favorite hen hahah. She’s adorable and so docile and sweet.

I also have to wonder if a good rooster would fix this but we can’t have them in my city

 

[Yardmom]

The chicken that is struggling in your flock is not due to size, but do to personality and differences that chickens pick on. Trying to reset the pecking order will not help. Getting a roo will not likely help.
Do you know what breed she is? You mentioned frizzled and docile.
To give this bird a better life she will need a flock mate(s) of similar temperament. (Maybe Silkies but not your other bantam ?). Depending on the personalities of your other birds the more docile birds may or may not need their own living quarters.

 

[adeadbush]

The chicken that is struggling in your flock is not due to size, but do to personality and differences that chickens pick on. Trying to reset the pecking order will not help. Getting a roo will not likely help.
Do you know what breed she is? You mentioned frizzled and docile.
To give this bird a better life she will need a flock mate(s) of similar temperament. (Maybe Silkies but not your other bantam ?). Depending on the personalities of your other birds the more docile birds may or may not need their own living quarters.

She is as bantam green queen which essentially is just a bantam easter egger I think (she looks like she's got a lot of silkie in her I think). My other bantam is a bantam red dorking and she's like super resilient, hardy- she's always been confident. Then I have a cinnamon queen, a full size green queen (who looks like a bbs maran but lays olive eggs) and a black Ameraucana. In the spring I've ordered two marans, two orpingtons, a bantam and a full-sized cochin, a wheaten olive egger, and another ameraucana. I'm wondering if the cochins or orpingtons will be friends with my sweet Loretta lol. I would build a separate coop for her but I really don't want to because just last summer I spent all this time and money building my chicken mansion. Also in the works is new fencing so they can have free range more often instead of only when I'm home to supervise (we have some fence hoppers and they dig up my garden so I want to fence in their own space to roam + with getting new gals I think they'll need way more space than is in my current run, but will be fine with the coop and roost size)