Getting Bullied or Being Aggressive??

[Kellimax02]

I'm stressed & need some advice please

My Flock: 3 hens, raised together since the day I got them, all laying, none molting, 16 months old

Recently, I noticed Parmesan (my 3rd place hen) getting picked on in the mornings by Marsala (my 1st place hen). This was going on for a few days.... nothing too bad. That is, until yesterday. Marsala & Nugget (my 2nd place hen) ganged up on Parmesan....cornered her, jumped on her back, and pecked at her HARD. I grabbed her and took her into the shed for inspection. After spending several hours with her, I decided to find and call an Avian vet (she wasn't eating/drinking/pooping.....just sleeping on my lap which is nothing new).

An hour before we left for our appointment, she was back to normal, but I decided to take her anyway because with all that I read, she must be ill since her sisters were attacking her. And for $404.32 the vet took her blood, a poop sample, listened to her heart & lungs, and gave her a thorough once over and diagnosed her w/possible mites based on a bald spot I had never noticed. She was given a shot of Ivermectin and I was told to keep her separated for a few days (her bloodwork and fecal sample all came back great).

I did separate her last night, but had them all free ranging today. When the "meanies" went by Parm, she puffed up her feathers and they attacked again and I intervened again. This went on all-day-long. So my question is this.....is it possible that Parm is being aggressive? Maybe I'm misinterpreting the whole thing and she's not fluffing up because she's scared, but trying to overturn the pecking order? And if so, do I let this just play out (unless blood gets drawn)? And if not, how do I break 2 out of 3 chickens from (what I'm assuming is) aggressive behavior?

This behavior is stressing me out, let alone the mite issue. I ordered Elector PsP online for that.

Thanks in advance ya'll <3

 

[PatrickRoo]

Your other hens may have been pecking at Parmesan because of her mites. Parm probably showed a sign of illness and that drove the other flock members to her. That made Parm the weakest bird in the pecking order.

Parm's mites need to clear up before she can be reintroduced to the flock. When you introduce her, you may want to watch how your other hens handle it. If they begin pecking, you will need a segregation pen, then you can reintegrate her.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC...sorry you are having troubles.

This can happen often with a tiny flock,
less population to 'spread the love' over,
and usually smaller enclosures which can make crowding an issue.

Removing and re-adding one bird in such a small flock(in any flock) is problematic,
you'll need a separate coop/run adjacent to main coop/run,
and have to do some chicken juggling to get them back together.

Knowing more about the housing you have can help us offer more specific solutions.
Size, in feet by feet, and pics of coop and run.

 

[aart]

Didn't address the aggression questions.
She may be being fighting back with the puffing up.
Is she fighting back or just taking the abuse?

Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[Kellimax02]

Your other hens may have been pecking at Parmesan because of her mites. Parm probably showed a sign of illness and that drove the other flock members to her. That made Parm the weakest bird in the pecking order.

Parm's mites need to clear up before she can be reintroduced to the flock. When you introduce her, you may want to watch how your other hens handle it. If they begin pecking, you will need a segregation pen, then you can reintegrate her.

Honestly, since day 1 they had their pecking order established; Marsala, Nugget, Parm....she's always been last to get to eat, last allowed in the coop. And we checked the other 2 last night and they have mites also. I am going to keep Parm separated for a while still. Thanks for your reply

 

[Kellimax02]

Didn't address the aggression questions.
She may be being fighting back with the puffing up.
Is she fighting back or just taking the abuse?

Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

Thanks for your reply! Parm isn't a new bird, she's been with Marsala & Nugget since day 1...I got them all from the same place, on the same day, and lived together happily for the last 16 months. I'll take some pictures when I go out again, but their coop is 6 1/2' x 2' w/2 nesting boxes & attached run of 5 1/2" x 8' x 6'h. The run has an old ladder they love to climb, an old camping chair they sit on or under, 2 stumps, they have 2 waterers and 1 feed station (PVC pipe type feeder), I hang a cabbage/head of lettuce/cucumber every day...and they go forage. When they pinned her down, I reacted quickly so I can't say if she fought back or not, but she does run past them. I'm going to have to just watch and see without intervening...unless of course its getting bad. Thanks again!