Help with Bullying

[AbbyTeters]

Help Please! We have 3 chickens (Easter Egger, Welsummer and Silkie) They are all 8 months old. They have always gotten along very well.........until our Silkie started laying eggs last week. (The other 2 started about 2 months ago) The Welsummer has been bullying the Silkie ever since.

They are in a large run with attached coop. The Welsummer doesn't like the Silkie going in the coop or nesting boxes to lay her eggs (we have 6 nesting boxes for 3 chickens and it doesn't seem like the Silkie uses the same one as the other 2 chickens). She has pecked her back 2 times now (which I am caring for) She doesn't seem to care if the Silkie eats or drinks though. The Silkie has laid outside in the run 2 times and not in the boxes.

What should I do? I don't really have means to separate any easily. I could get a pet crate to keep one apart inside the run, but what do I do at night? We have a lot of potential predators out there so I don't want them sleeping outside of my fort knox coop overnight.

TIA

 

[Lady of McCamley]

That's a tough one. The problem is, in my experience, Welsummers are more dominant by nature, and as birds mature to adult size, standards tend to pick on the smaller, slower Silkies.

I had to have my hubby build a separate broody hutch/run for my Silkie, who was going broody all the time anyway.

Really watch out for the Silkie. Standards tend to peck the head crest. Many Silkies have vaulted skulls or at least fragile skulls due to the shape. It can cause head trauma to the Silkie.

If you can't find a separate place for the Silkie, you might consider a trade with another standard size.

Maybe you'll get lucky and the Welsummer will settle down...but that has not been my experience.

LofMc