Chicken Bully What Should I Do?

[RobN72]

You could try having hiding places for them (that don't dead end so more like a tunnel or something) that she can't get in to to pester them. You could also try just having more visual clutter that will break line of site between her and them if she's out of the crate.
This one is only a maybe. You could maybe try being a mediator. If she's being too rough go over there and correct her. Essentially pretend your hand is a chicken head and "peck" her. Don't hit her hard, just enough for her to notice. Repeat the "pecks" until she stops harassing the others.

Thank you I am going to try and be a chicken. Haha

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum from Louisiana, glad you joined.

It sounds like you don't have much room, that can make integration harder. Another thing working against you is their maturity levels. Until my pullets start to lay they usually form a sub-flock and avoid the adults. If they invade the personal space of a more mature chicken they are likely to get pecked. That's why they are so afraid of that older hen. That behavior is very normal in my flock.

So what can you do? A lot of that depends o what you have to work with. How big in feet or meters is your coop? Your run? How are they connected? Photos inside and out could be very helpful.

There are some generic things that we recommend. If you can house them across wire for a while (a week maybe?) so they get used to seeing each other can help. Give them as much room as you can. You can improve the quality of what room you have by adding clutter. Clutter is things they can hide under, behind, or over that breaks line of sight or puts them out of reach. Having widely separated food stations and water stations can help, especially if they are protected from line-of-sight. Without knowing what you have to work with I can't get any more specific than that.

Good luck and once again,

 

[RobN72]

Welcome to the forum from Louisiana, glad you joined.

It sounds like you don't have much room, that can make integration harder. Another thing working against you is their maturity levels. Until my pullets start to lay they usually form a sub-flock and avoid the adults. If they invade the personal space of a more mature chicken they are likely to get pecked. That's why they are so afraid of that older hen. That behavior is very normal in my flock.

So what can you do? A lot of that depends o what you have to work with. How big in feet or meters is your coop? Your run? How are they connected? Photos inside and out could be very helpful.

There are some generic things that we recommend. If you can house them across wire for a while (a week maybe?) so they get used to seeing each other can help. Give them as much room as you can. You can improve the quality of what room you have by adding clutter. Clutter is things they can hide under, behind, or over that breaks line of sight or puts them out of reach. Having widely separated food stations and water stations can help, especially if they are protected from line-of-sight. Without knowing what you have to work with I can't get any more specific than that.

Good luck and once again,

 

[RobN72]

This is my chicken coop

 

[RobN72]

This is my chicken coop

As you can see it is very small. At the moment the newbie chickens are in my garage in a box with bedding, food and water. The bully chicken is in the normal coop. My plan for the day tomorrow is to let my bully chicken out for a run in the morning and my newbies can have a wander around the normal coop. Then when I put the bully back inside I will lock the newbies into the nesting area. Therefore the newbies will be inside with food and water all day. And my bully will be in the run all day. Just to let you know I will not be with my chickens in the day. I leave home at 7.45 and come back at 4.00-4.30. Please let me know if this is a good plan or not.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Then when I put the bully back inside I will lock the newbies into the nesting area. Therefore the newbies will be inside with food and water all day. And my bully will be in the run all day. Just to let you know I will not be with my chickens in the day. I leave home at 7.45 and come back at 4.00-4.30. Please let me know if this is a good plan or not.

This doesn't help them integrate though, they need to see each other but not be able to get to each other. You really need to set up something (that's predator safe) where both groups can see each other but not get to each other for somewhere around 1-2 weeks.

Your set up is small so this is going to be difficult, but maybe for now you can wire off a portion of the run as a safe area for the new birds?

I don't suppose there's any way for you to expand the coop and run is there?

 

[RobN72]

This doesn't help them integrate though, they need to see each other but not be able to get to each other. You really need to set up something (that's predator safe) where both groups can see each other but not get to each other for somewhere around 1-2 weeks.

Your set up is small so this is going to be difficult, but maybe for now you can wire off a portion of the run as a safe area for the new birds?

I don't suppose there's any way for you to expand the coop and run is there?

I am going to try and make another run

 

[RobN72]

I am going to try and make another run

But they will not be able to go in it in the night

 

[rosemarythyme]

But they will not be able to go in it in the night

They can be separate at night, but the important part is they need to be able to see each other during the day to get used to each other.

 

[RobN72]

They can be separate at night, but the important part is they need to be able to see each other during the day to get used to each other.

Ok thanks