Hen Dynamic Change w New Roo

[HomespunChicken]

Hi, I have a puzzling dynamic change here with my flock and Im not sure what the best route to take is.
I have an OG flock of 12 birds from last year and then an additional newer flock of 7 that I picked up as chicks in February, in this newer bunch of chicks is a small bantam Roo. I raised the chicks in the run and coop with the older birds so there was really no issues mixing them all together once the chicks were old enough.

Now, the behavior I am witnessing is whats puzzling me.
I have an easter egger form the OG flock that I witnessed getting beat up on by the other OG hens. They had her down on the ground all going after the back of her head. I was able to treat her and move her into a separate area but still be next to everyone in the run. I would say she was not on the bottom of the pecking order but maybe somewhere in the middle or top.

Now that she's in the separated area the rooster seems especially annoyed with her being in there after never really having any contact with the OG hens, he hangs out almost exclusively with the young hens he was raised with.

So, the following day I let out some of the hens in the rest of the yard and let the OG Easter Egger out in the run with some of my more docile hens and the young hens and little roo. Almost immediately the docile hens went right for her on the back of the head again (the wound is covered in blu-kote), I removed those hens from the run and then the rooster went after her. She submits right away but he is just grabbing her and being really mean without any attempt to mate.

Thinking shes the victim, I put her away in her little area and let her be until the following day I let her out in the rest of the yard with a few other birds. She made a b line for one of the other OG hens and attacked her, the hen ran off and the the Easter Egger started going towards another OG hen just staring her down. This OG hen fluffed up and started making weird sounds and then they went at it -a note, this OG hen has a habit of mounting the other OG hens often.
I kept the easter egger out and put away the OG hen that likes to mount the others, I call her Bluey. Anyways, easter egger and bluey continue to have stare down through the fence and attack each other. Anytime they make eye contact Bluey fluffs up and makes weird sounds and they fight.

Today, I put all the OG hens out and let the easter egger in the run with the younger hens and the rooster went after her again. She submits but he's going after her like hopping onto a perch and dragging her down pulling at her wings and back of neck. I haven't seen him target anyone so violently before.
So now, she ran into the coop and won't come out. Keeps sitting in nesting boxes for awhile and then just hanging out in there.
Idk what to do or how to help or what is even going on.
Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Dynamic shifts do happen, and they can be very violent. I had one hen who did not integrate with the flock after my rooster took over. While the hens did not bother her, the rooster attacked her. In my experience when they go for the back of the head they have murderous intent. I don't know why they decide someone has got to go, but I removed the hen and that was that.

The rooster later became irritated with the previous head hen. He did not attack her violently but did harass her. I removed her too and she went to live with the other hen. I have since rehomed both of them.

The rooster has not harassed anyone else and is a perfect gentleman, even to the neighbors hens who come hang out here.

I would recommend removing this one hen and rehoming her. She has clearly been rejected by the flock. No idea why. But probably you'll never know!

 

[HomespunChicken]

Dynamic shifts do happen, and they can be very violent. I had one hen who did not integrate with the flock after my rooster took over. While the hens did not bother her, the rooster attacked her. In my experience when they go for the back of the head they have murderous intent. I don't know why they decide someone has got to go, but I removed the hen and that was that.

The rooster later became irritated with the previous head hen. He did not attack her violently but did harass her. I removed her too and she went to live with the other hen. I have since rehomed both of them.

The rooster has not harassed anyone else and is a perfect gentleman, even to the neighbors hens who come hang out here.

I would recommend removing this one hen and rehoming her. She has clearly been rejected by the flock. No idea why. But probably you'll never know!

I thought the same about the back of the head.
I wonder, what would happen if I removed the rooster from the equation instead? This is my favorite chicken lol she seems more valuable to me than a little batam roo.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Try removing the rooster and see what happens although given that your hens are attacking her I'm not sure if that will work. Keep us updated!

 

[HomespunChicken]

Today we let the easter egger out in the garden and some of the other birds got out (including Bluey, the one who really seems to dislike her the most) and they did get into in but I would say the the easter egger won this quick little tussle. Bluey ran away with a little wound to her comb and instead of scratching around very actively like she does when out of the run she found some shade and quietly just sat down. I feel like her pride was hurt more than anything. The easter egger made a b line to me and my husband and attempted to jump on my shoulder and then settled on perching on my husband's chair-something she has never ever done.
The easter egger has zero interest in the run or the other chickens. She's happy to stay in the garden all day.
I will say, we are planning on a short move in the next 3 weeks, just one city over so im wondering if the new change of scenery, new coop and run will possibly shake things up again making an opportunity for the easter egger to find a spot in the flock

 

[HomespunChicken]

Try removing the rooster and see what happens although given that your hens are attacking her I'm not sure if that will work. Keep us updated!

Today I put the rooster in the sectioned off area of the run. I let the easter egger out into the garden like usual and later in the day I saw her circling the run showing interest in the other birds. I cautiously let her in and all was well! I stood in the run for a bit and Bluey did keep distance from the easter egger, they had a very mild stare off in which Bluey ended up walking away from, it happened with another bird as well but the other bird walked away first too. Later the easter egger preened with the group and drank from the waterer with other birds too.
Im thinking this may mean that we'll be rehoming the rooster.