Chicken with a attitude

[Hoosiercluck]

I recently added 5 chicks to my flock of 5 hens. I added them to a separate pen in the coop where they could view the old ones daily, and mingled the flock when the chick newbies were 10 weeks old. They had moments, but looked like they would be fine together while staying in their separate "clicks" of groupings. Recently, I had one of the older hens getting feather pecked around her neck, so I put her in the separate pen area for a couple weeks to start growing them back. She was at the bottom of the original hen peck order of 5. It worked, and I put blue kote on her neck for extra diversion and reintroduced her to flock. I was amazed to see one of the newbie pullets seriously and ruthlessly go after her to the point I had to corral the pecking pullet and put her to cage. The newbies had never pecked anyone when they were all mixed together, always ran away. Will she try and continue to peck this chicken or now has she been moved down the peck order since I have secluded her for a week? Thanks much BYC peeps

 

[speckledhen]

Welcome to BYC. First, it's hard to say with certainty what a chicken will do and what another will take from a coop-mate. I once rehomed an Olive Egger pullet who relentlessly plucked out the cockerel's saddle feathers, but I've had hens since that time that regularly pluck the rooster's hackles and he lets them do it. Unless someone is being hurt to the point of blood, I'd let them be. They do stuff to make sure they will not be lower on the pecking order ladder than they have to be, even it it means taking on an older hen who is weaker than the rest. Usually, the lowest in pecking order in an older group is the meanest to the newbies because those are all she can bully.

One caveat: Just be sure that they have plenty of protein in their feed. Growing youngsters need 18-22% protein in their feed to meet their needs of rapid growth. They may pluck to get the protein they require to grow rapidly. That is why I rarely put chicks that young in with the adults, the different nutritional requirements.

 

[chickens really]

I feed Grower to my Flock all year...Its 18% protein..I put oyster shell out in a separate bowl..I do not give snacks or treats very often..I free range Maximum of two hours a day..I have no issues with my Birds...

 

[igorsMistress]

I've read that you should remove the bully for a bit so she starts back at the bottom of the order and works her way back in. Haven't tried it but I've read it works.
Good luck!

 

[Hoosiercluck]

Thanks to all. I feed grower to all for the extra protein, have eggshell out in a bowl, and let me out in a penned area to free range when I can. We have hawks in my area. I will continue to cage the bully for a while longer and then release and see what happens.....she is actually one of the bigger newbies, but like I said, previously all of the newer pullets just scurried away from trouble with the hens. Thanks for all the advice. Chickens are fickle fun!

 

[chickens really]

Thanks to all. I feed grower to all for the extra protein, have eggshell out in a bowl, and let me out in a penned area to free range when I can. We have hawks in my area. I will continue to cage the bully for a while longer and then release and see what happens.....she is actually one of the bigger newbies, but like I said, previously all of the newer pullets just scurried away from trouble with the hens. Thanks for all the advice. Chickens are fickle fun!

Pecking order is being set...She is trying to be top Hen and removing her will probably have her doing it again once she is put back....

 

[Hoosiercluck]

the pecking order thing can be discouraging for sure. I will see how it goes with reintroduction. I can't cull a chicken, so if it continues to blood I will just have to separate away from others. Live in the country on a farm, so plenty of roam. Thanks again

 

[chickens really]

the pecking order thing can be discouraging for sure. I will see how it goes with reintroduction. I can't cull a chicken, so if it continues to blood I will just have to separate away from others. Live in the country on a farm, so plenty of roam. Thanks again

Do you have enough space for that many Chickens?...Pecking order is different than aggression...

 

[Hoosiercluck]

I have an inside coop that they have free access to once they are in the outside roofed pen, and then I have a fenced area for them to graze where I can watch them that is attached to the outside roofed pen. There is water at all areas. My husband grew up with chickens, and he said the area to chicken ratio was good.

 

[chickens really]

I have an inside coop that they have free access to once they are in the outside roofed pen, and then I have a fenced area for them to graze where I can watch them that is attached to the outside roofed pen. There is water at all areas. My husband grew up with chickens, and he said the area to chicken ratio was good.

Okay....I sure never trust my Husbands input....