Hen still pecking at chick

[CKfarm22]

I have made multiple threads about integrating… but this one is about one hen that seems to be a bit bossy. I have an 11 week old Buff and 3: 7 month old hens. I’ve been integrating for the past 7 weeks. One hen is completely fine with the chick. But the other two still peck at her, one more than the other. They have been together all day for the past 4 days and i know it takes a lot of time i’m just not sure what else i can do. They have 3 feeders, 2 waterers. But this one hen will not stop chasing or pecking at her. Can anyone help?

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've read that some people will separate the 1 ringleader bully for a few days to reset the pecking order. Might be worth a try.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I’m not even sure how i would separate her. I only have one coop. Unless i out her in a large dog crate but i feel bad doing that because the three hens are buddies

I'd use the crate. Being separated won't hurt her. The continued bullying, however, might hurt your chick. Just for a few days.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'd use the crate. Being separated won't hurt her. The continued bullying, however, might hurt your chick. Just for a few days.

This.

I haven't had to do anything this extreme, but when I was integrating the Ideal Dozen the adult hens were fine but the POL Splits were harassing them. So I let the chicks out into the run and, when the Splits went into the brooder to eat the chicks' feed (because even though it was the same all-flock crumble it was, of course, better in there ), I shut the Splits in all day.

They weren't happy about being confined AT ALL, but it gave the little ones time to thoroughly explore the run and gain confidence and put the Splits down a peg so that the harassing was reduced.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Will do! How many days would you say? 2-3?

I've not had to do it (luckily!), but I've read 2-3. You can maybe try it for a day, add the offender back in with the flock, and see how it goes. You can always try it for longer if 1 day doesn't seem to be long enough.

I hope this does it! I had a broody mama integrate a lone chick. That chock was also bullied, but the problem behavior eventually subsided.that chick grew up to be way at the bottom of the pecking order, even after I added another 7 ch9ckens over the years. I now wish I'd had at least 1 other chick her age.

Good luck!!!! Keep us updated!!!

 

[CKfarm22]

I've not had to do it (luckily!), but I've read 2-3. You can maybe try it for a day, add the offender back in with the flock, and see how it goes. You can always try it for longer if 1 day doesn't seem to be long enough.

I hope this does it! I had a broody mama integrate a lone chick. That chock was also bullied, but the problem behavior eventually subsided.that chick grew up to be way at the bottom of the pecking order, even after I added another 7 ch9ckens over the years. I now wish I'd had at least 1 other chick her age.

Good luck!!!! Keep us updated!!!

So i have a very exciting update! I’m not trying to get my hopes up but they are currently all together on the roost. The chick was the first one to go onto the roost tonight and right next to her is the bully hen. No pecking either, the bully hen kind of nudged her head into the chicks feathers! Im hoping it’ll be better tomorrow!

 

[Mrs. K]

A single bird being added is tough.

I would get the pin - less peepers. Put them in all the older birds, and leave them in until the young bird is laying.

You seem so tender hearted, but sometimes you have to be tough with chickens.

Mrs. K

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3132761461...MIpM-QtYOO9AIVa3xvBB1CQwA2EAQYBSABEgJyzfD_BwE

 

[Ridgerunner]

In feet, how big is the coop? In feet, how big is the run? A photo showing how they go together might be useful. With only four total chickens your space may be pretty small but if you can put out 3 feeders maybe not. It's easier to give specific suggestions if I know what you have to work with.

When and where do these attacks take place? Is there a specific time or place? What do these attacks look like? Often when an immature chicken invades the personal space of an older chicken they get pecked and run away, if they have room. Typically young chicks quickly learn to not invade that personal space and keep their distance. A single chick or a single older chicken can be harder. Chickens are social animals and want to be with other chickens so sometimes they invade that personal space because they are lonely. Does it look like something like this is happening or is she actively seeking to destroy?

You say the chick is a her, that helps. Cockerels can be even more of a pain when they hit puberty. Typically my pullets do not become a full member of the flock until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order, usually about the time they start to lay. Until then they avoid the adults, both day and night. But I have a lot of room and I never have just one.

My goal during integration is that no one gets hurt. No more than that. All that one big happy flock can and will come later if you can get to that point. It's puberty you have to get through.

 

[CKfarm22]

Thanks for the video, that helps show what is going on. The chick is hiding from the adults, that's pretty normal. I don't think your roosts are high enough for the chick to find safety up there, That's where mine typically go to get away from the adults if they are all in the coop. The chicks are up high and the adults are on the coop floor. As they are going to bed at night I've seen a hen leave her normal roosting spot to peck immature chicks that are trying to sleep on the far end of the roosts. That's why mine normally don't try to sleep on the roosts until they mature unless a broody hen took them to the roosts. Even then, once she weans them they often find some other place to sleep.

I know your coop and run meet the magic numbers for how many square feet you are supposed to have, but they are still pretty small for integration. It's not about square feet per chickens, it's more about line of sight and the ability to get separation. If they were all mature and fully integrated it should be enough room, but they are not. It may take another two months or so before you are at that point.

I don't think that hen is actively hunting the chick. It's more that she sees the chick as an interloper and wants to drive it away from the flock when she sees it. This is often the dominant hen. Or maybe she is just a bully and wants to make sure that chick knows its place in the pecking order. This is often a hen near the bottom of the pecking order. With that other hen blocking the pop door the chick couldn't get outside, otherwise it would probably have gone out to the run to get away.

Adding that pallet outside was a good idea, sounds like the chick is using it. I don't know if adding more clutter would help. I think it is mostly a matter of room, do you see this when they are all out free ranging? I'm encouraged that the hen did not continue to attack the chick after it ran from her and again hid in the nest. I don't know how much danger that chick is actually in. My biggest concern is when you have winter weather and they can't get outside. That coop doesn't offer much room for her to get away.

So what can you do, other than finish that other coop and run? You can keep doing what you are. That might work out. You said you have been integrating for 7 weeks but they had just shared a coop and run for 4 days. It's possible they will get over this pretty soon. But have a place you can isolate that chick immediately if it gets injured.

Where were you housing this chick during those 7 weeks? You could continue that but let them roam together when free ranging or even in that coop/run when the weather is good. Try to keep that chick safe until it matures.

You can try isolating that aggressive hen away from the rest for about a week and see how they behave when you reintroduce her. See how the others behave with the bully not around. I've had success and failure in changing behaviors by isolating. The behavior of the bully is the behavior you need to change. If you isolate the chick you are pretty much waiting for it to mature so it can hold its own with the adults.

To me this is not an easy one with a clear cut way to go. I'd probably try to isolate the bully just because it is probably the easiest thing to try. Good luck!

I appreciate the advice and i really need it. I wasn’t going to isolate the chick again because that would start the whole process over again, if things got worse i would isolate the bully first. And yes i know the space i have is limited but it’s what i have to work with right now.

When they are free ranging, there is some chasing but the 3 hens like staying together and the chick is pretty much alone doing her own thing.

The chick had been in a see-no-touch in the coop for those 7 weeks so they could get used to her being there. And yes i do have somewhere i can put her incase of injury or emergency.

We plan on winterizing our run so they can go outside of they want.

I can’t be home all the time either to watch them so i’m just trying to have them work it out. It’s just making me anxious because it’s been a lot of time and i know it takes time but

 

[CKfarm22]

I've not had to do it (luckily!), but I've read 2-3. You can maybe try it for a day, add the offender back in with the flock, and see how it goes. You can always try it for longer if 1 day doesn't seem to be long enough.

I hope this does it! I had a broody mama integrate a lone chick. That chock was also bullied, but the problem behavior eventually subsided.that chick grew up to be way at the bottom of the pecking order, even after I added another 7 ch9ckens over the years. I now wish I'd had at least 1 other chick her age.

Good luck!!!! Keep us updated!!!

A little update. I think everything has been well. I haven’t been with my boyfriend (where the chickens are) for a couple days due to him having covid and now i have it but anywho…. I’ve been watching the cameras. There’s still pecking but the chick mostly stays in the coop during the day. Sometimes she will venture out into the run during the day. Tonight was the first time we didn’t have to manually put her on the roost for the night so i guess that’s good