Help, Bullying..

[Bourdon]

Hi! I could use some help. I know there have been other posts on this topic but I really wanted some perspective.

Our flock is 14, mixed breeds which have all been together since they were just days old. They are 18 weeks old and all sweet and kind and lovable and each and every one of them is from a non-aggressive breed.

About two weeks ago one of our Smokey Pearls, who are literally some of the sweetest birds I’ve ever seen, attacked one of our Salmon Favorelles entirely unprovoked. We separated then eventually reunited them. They avoided each other For the most part.

The last few days I noticed Chicoletta, the Smokey Pearl, showing some signs of being a bully again. The leader of our flock, however seemed to be handling it. Then yesterday she chased Waffles, our Salmon Favorelles, out of the feed and water on one side of the run. We have a dual run, run on each side of the coop itself. Waffles moved to the other side and stayed with the lead chicken and some of the other top of the pecking order Chickens. They are all very gentle and solicitous of her.

Last night when we put them to bed Chicoletta amped up her game. She was just torturing her. She got pulled from the coop immediately and put in a huge 5x3. dog kennel, where she remains. I don’t know what to do. I’m so upset by this. I can’t allow Waffles to be tormented. Any thoughts or experiences you’ve had would be so very appreciated.

Everyone always says it’s a space issue but it really isn’t they have more than ample run size and coop size. They free range every day and get lots of attention and have an endless food supply. I’m so upset. Please, can you help?

 

[sourland]

All may be the result of increasing hormone levels as they approach POL. I would keep the aggressor out of the flock for a week or so to adjust her attitude and position in the pecking order. Chicken society is like mean girls in high school.

 

[SmiYa0126]

True story, the whole pecking order is so true!

 

[Bourdon]

All may be the result of increasing hormone levels as they approach POL. I would keep the aggressor out of the flock for a week or so to adjust her attitude and position in the pecking order. Chicken society is like mean girls in high school.

Thank you. I really appreciate it. That’s what we were guessing we should try but I really needed someone to confirm that it would be the correct course of action. I hadn’t thought about hormones being a driving force either. It makes sense but although we’ve always had farm type animals we’ve never had chickens. I love them all so much that this is just horrible to go through. Thank you!

 

[Tonyroo]

It's always an adjustment learning and seeing chicken behavior. But you will see all of it and know how to manage it right away as you gain more experience from your flock.

 

[Bourdon]

It's always an adjustment learning and seeing chicken behavior. But you will see all of it and know how to manage it right away as you gain more experience from your flock.

Thank you. I have many books and frequent BYC but it’s certainly not the same as living it, if you know what I mean? I really appreciate that I can come here and speak with others. There is something more to it than reading it. And everything I read kept going back to space issues. Thank you all for your kindness and help!

 

[Mrs. K]

This often happens when birds get close to full size. What was enough space before, is no longer enough space. These are a couple of fallacies that often work well with other pets, but not with chickens:

• Being raised together will keep them all getting along. Being raised together has little influence on adult behavior
• Allowing a couple of hours of free range will make up for a too small coop or run. Much like keeping a dog in the house and going for a walk once a day. Chickens do not get this. Often times it is the coop that is too small. In the winter, chickens are roosted up for 14-16 hours in the winter - way too long to be over crowded.

What I will ask is what are your dimensions of the coup/run and the number head of birds.
And how is your space set up? Is there clutter in the run where birds can get away from each other and out of sight of each other or is it just a wide open rectangle where every chicken can see every other chicken 100% of time. Adding clutter can really help.

Do you have multiple feed bowls? And set those up so that birds eating in one bowl cannot see the birds eating at another bowl. I generally have a bowl for every 3-4 birds.

I would imagine that there is a great deal of tension in your flock that is now irrupting into violence. Some birds can tolerate overcrowding, and some birds cannot.

As you have the separate run, I would divide the more aggressive and less aggressive, for a short term solution. But I am thinking that you probably have too many birds for your set up and should cull some. When you split them I think you will be aware of the loss of tension.

Years ago, I had a bad case of chicken math, and was getting the behaviors you described when a predator helped me out. I was just sick, and lost several birds...but in two days I noticed how much more relaxed my flock was. It was amazing, I took a head count, and never went above it in that set up.

No one likes to give up birds, it is not in our nature. But when you realize how much more content the remaining birds are, it is worth it. Wishing they would all be nice won't work.

Mrs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

I pretty much agree with what @sourland said. I'm debating with myself whether middle school or high school girls are more vicious and brutal. An argument could be made for either. Whichever you think are the most brutal is the one you should compare pullets and hen society to.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a non-aggressive breed. Some breeds may tend to have more members that mellow out than others but you can find human aggressive boys and both boys and girls that are brutes toward other chickens in any breed.

I don't know what is going on between your two, could be different things. I've been able to sometimes change behaviors using isolation and separation. I think his idea of separating the bully is the right move. If it doesn't work come back and let us know. We may be able to suggest something else.

 

[Joey and dolly]

We had almost an entire flock die from pecking order they were meat chickens tho so we didn’t get close to them well I did but I was like really young

 

[Bourdon]

I pretty much agree with what @sourland said. I'm debating with myself whether middle school or high school girls are more vicious and brutal. An argument could be made for either. Whichever you think are the most brutal is the one you should compare pullets and hen society to.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a non-aggressive breed. Some breeds may tend to have more members that mellow out than others but you can find human aggressive boys and both boys and girls that are brutes toward other chickens in any breed.

I don't know what is going on between your two, could be different things. I've been able to sometimes change behaviors using isolation and separation. I think his idea of separating the bully is the right move. If it doesn't work come back and let us know. We may be able to suggest something else.

Oh Ridgerunner. Thank you so much! I really appreciate that.