I have 5 15-month old hens. Last weekend I was in the run with them and saw 2 of them raise their neck feathers and stand tall like cockerels about to fight. They went after each other a few times. I haven't seen this behavior since I had 2 cockerels last year, though I know it's possible for hens to do it for the pecking order. This was done by Karen, who is usually at the bottom of the pecking order, and Molly, the BFF of our top hen, and although Molly doesn't usually peck at anyone, I'd say she's near the top of the pecking order. Later that day, I saw Molly fleeing quickly anytime Karen came near here, like she was very scared of her. I noticed the next day, Molly was very afraid anytime Karen came by - and Karen would go after Molly when she saw her running away. Molly eventually stayed in the coop all day to get away from Karen. When I was in the run the next day, I did notice that Molly would run from Karen, but if Karen ran after her and catch up with her, Molly would do the squatting submissive stance, and Karen would jump on her back and bite at her head and comb. Molly does have some bloody spots on her comb, which I do not like. Since Molly had some blood (not bad enough for others to notice or start pecking at her bloody spots) and since she wanted to stay in the coop during the day, I decided to put Karen in jail since that's what I read to do when a hen bullies another one to the point of some blood. I put a dog crate in the run, and Karen stayed in there.
It's been a week or so since Karen has been in jail. During the last week, I mostly let her sleep in the coop with the other girls, however when I let her out and watched her, I noticed Molly still runs frantically away from Karen, which causes Karen to notice her and run after her. Karen still sometimes raises her neck feathers when approaching Molly and will run after her. I saw a comment on using a supersoaker to spray the bully when they are about to hurt another chicken, so I took a hand-held water sprayer last night and I would squirt at Karen anytime she made a run for Molly, and it helped deter her.
At this point I don't know what to do about Karen. She is in jail again today, but I don't think it's helping. I understand that the pecking order changes, but our top hen never went after one specific hen like Karen has been. I think Molly was going through a molt a few weeks ago as she was missing some neck, back, and butt feathers and stopped laying, but is now laying and feathers growing back (I don't believe she was being picked on during this as we wasn't running away from Karen, nor was she hiding in the coop).
Should I just let Karen have at it and assume this will resolve on it's own? If I do that, I believe Molly will resort to retreating to the coop and staying in there all day, which I don't want (if she does that, her 2 other BFF hens will tend to go up with her to keep her company, and I don't want them cooped up all day in there). I also can't close the coop during the day as the egg boxes are in there. Is it normal for a hen (Karen) to bully to the point of mounting another hen AND pecking their comb to the point of blood?
Just for more background info, we do not have a rooster, their run is spacious (more than "recommended square foot per hen" since we accounted for increasing flock size and enough room for a hen to get away from another hen), they sometimes go out to other pens we have so they can forage, so I don't think it's a space/stress/boredom issue, especially since it's only between these 2 hens. I also put in scraps from the garden and plants they can peck at to keep them busy. One new behavior I noticed from Karen (besides the bullying) is that she holds her tail feathers much more upright than usual...she does this when out foraging, but not when in the run until lately.
Please help with recommendations on what to do now. Thank you!
It's been a week or so since Karen has been in jail. During the last week, I mostly let her sleep in the coop with the other girls, however when I let her out and watched her, I noticed Molly still runs frantically away from Karen, which causes Karen to notice her and run after her. Karen still sometimes raises her neck feathers when approaching Molly and will run after her. I saw a comment on using a supersoaker to spray the bully when they are about to hurt another chicken, so I took a hand-held water sprayer last night and I would squirt at Karen anytime she made a run for Molly, and it helped deter her.
At this point I don't know what to do about Karen. She is in jail again today, but I don't think it's helping. I understand that the pecking order changes, but our top hen never went after one specific hen like Karen has been. I think Molly was going through a molt a few weeks ago as she was missing some neck, back, and butt feathers and stopped laying, but is now laying and feathers growing back (I don't believe she was being picked on during this as we wasn't running away from Karen, nor was she hiding in the coop).
Should I just let Karen have at it and assume this will resolve on it's own? If I do that, I believe Molly will resort to retreating to the coop and staying in there all day, which I don't want (if she does that, her 2 other BFF hens will tend to go up with her to keep her company, and I don't want them cooped up all day in there). I also can't close the coop during the day as the egg boxes are in there. Is it normal for a hen (Karen) to bully to the point of mounting another hen AND pecking their comb to the point of blood?
Just for more background info, we do not have a rooster, their run is spacious (more than "recommended square foot per hen" since we accounted for increasing flock size and enough room for a hen to get away from another hen), they sometimes go out to other pens we have so they can forage, so I don't think it's a space/stress/boredom issue, especially since it's only between these 2 hens. I also put in scraps from the garden and plants they can peck at to keep them busy. One new behavior I noticed from Karen (besides the bullying) is that she holds her tail feathers much more upright than usual...she does this when out foraging, but not when in the run until lately.
Please help with recommendations on what to do now. Thank you!
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