Fighting Hens! HELP!

[kuanchang]

I currently have three hens, who I let free-run for the majority of the day. Despite knowing each other from since they were chicks, recently they have been getting into multiple fights and bouts, usually involving my Deleware hen. I know it might just signify the determining of pecking order, but doesn't that usually occur when new hens are introduced with each other? No blood has been shed yet, but I can see it in the future. Any suggestions?

 

[lizanne]

I have pullets of different ages from a little over a year and the youngest is about 4 months. They have all been raised together and they still fight sometimes. It seems like my girls that are close to, or have just started laying get especially cranky. I think they just have cranky days sometimes too, like a group of teenage girls or somthing. I just make sure that my smaller ones have somewhere to go to get away from the bigger ones, if they are being bullies.