chicken bully

[seattlechicken2019]

We have 3 chickens- have been raised from chicks together, now 1 year old. (We had 4, but our Orpington died 2 months ago. Before she died I noticed black spots on her comb, which looked like scabs from being pecked a little. I also noticed it with our Wyandotte. I didn't see anyone getting pecked, but that's what the members here thought it was due to, and also what I thought matched best based on google images.) Now we have the Wyandotte, a Australorp, and Cochin. I have now noticed the Cochin (who is bigger than the other 2) pecking at the Wyandotte and chasing her away from food. There is no feather picking. I am mostly worried about the Wyandotte being chased away from the food, and if the same thing was happening to the Orpington (and I didn't notice). Advice? They have 1 corner feeder with 2 openings, and get out to run around the yard at least once daily, if not for 1/2-2/3 of the day. Today I put 2 extra dishes of food in the coop to give the bully and the victim separate places to feed, but the victim kept going to the same dish as the bully! (Are chickens that stupid?) Help!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of set up would help a lot.

With the extra food, are they placed far apart with obstacles in the way? If not, a bully can and will chase their victim away in an attempt to hog all the food.

 

[seattlechicken2019]

We have one feeder with 2 openings. I have attached some pictures of the coop. It has a wire enclosed part (where food and water is) and wood enclosed part (where nest boxes are). Thanks for any advice!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

We have one feeder with 2 openings. I have attached some pictures of the coop. It has a wire enclosed part (where food and water is) and wood enclosed part (where nest boxes are). Thanks for any advice!!

Bit tight on space, and main issues with that are 1) it'll be hard to put in a second feed source far away enough from the other to prevent a bully from trying to claim both and 2) no room to add clutter that would allow a picked on bird to hide.

But working with what you have, maybe try moving the feeder to the end of the run where the outside roost is, and then putting some sort of barrier somewhere behind it to visually block it off (maybe something like a plant pot? some scraps of wood forming something akin to a small wall?) and then also adding a food dish in the coop, at least in the morning.