Bullying

[Nitralw]

Backstory: I have six silkies, all the same age, all came at the same time.
we got three more about three weeks later, turns out that only 1 was a silkie and the other two were black australorps. We ended up giving the australorps away.... great birds but big birds and we were worried about not having space for them which left us with only the one silkie from the second group. My first group of silkies aren’t fond of it... the rooster of the group stomps and pecks at it .. it’s mainly in the brooder but I do let them socialize together for a little while every day. I’m worried the aggressive behavior towards the little one won’t stop and we’ll end up having to rehome it ... any advice/suggestions

 

[rosemarythyme]

How long has the single silkie been with the rest of the group, or are you not actually letting them access each other (you mentioned a brooder, is it a chick still)? And how long have the aggression issues been going on? Is it a boy or girl, and if so has it started laying yet?

Photos of the set up would help as well.

 

[Sflosky]

I have four chickens two amber link and two black sex linked. The two amber links have gotten into the habit of chasing away and pecking at my littlest black sex link. (She has had her feather plucked and has multiple fresh wounds that never seem to get the chance to heal) I want to find a solution that allows me to keep them all. It’s not because of boredom as they have had a lot of new things to play with. We did cabbage cabbage hanging from the ceiling and I got them a mealworm dispenser that they have to kick around. When I remove the bullied one she is much more relaxed on her own. How do I prevent future bullying?

 

[Nitralw]

How long has the single silkie been with the rest of the group, or are you not actually letting them access each other (you mentioned a brooder, is it a chick still)? And how long have the aggression issues been going on? Is it a boy or girl, and if so has it started laying yet?

Photos of the set up would help as well.

It’s a chick still so for the most part stays in the brooder but when it’s warm out during the day I let it (because I’m not sure if it’s male or female) out with the rest of the chickens. Only my rooster has an issue with the chick, everyone else doesn’t seem to mind. Issues between Hei Hei (my rooster) and the little one pretty much started the first time Hei Hei saw it.
if they’re free ranging nobody bothers the little one it kind of just stands around by itself and gets completely ignored by everyone else. If they’re all in the coop that’s when Hei Hei is aggressive

 

[featherhead007]

It’s a chick still so for the most part stays in the brooder but when it’s warm out during the day I let it (because I’m not sure if it’s male or female) out with the rest of the chickens. Only my rooster has an issue with the chick, everyone else doesn’t seem to mind. Issues between Hei Hei (my rooster) and the little one pretty much started the first time Hei Hei saw it.
if they’re free ranging nobody bothers the little one it kind of just stands around by itself and gets completely ignored by everyone else. If they’re all in the coop that’s when Hei Hei is aggressive

Pecking order sucks, It happens to all breeds.

 

[Nitralw]

Pecking order sucks, It happens to all breeds.

yes he’s definitely trying to make it known that he’s the man of the coop!

 

[featherhead007]

A real man won't pick on women, but that doesn't go for chickens though.