Hen still pecking at chick

[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]

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/313276146101?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr=1&amdata=enc:1WvkYE-MNREyQX-QSVY88mQ32&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=313276146101&targetid=1262376588856&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9020659&poi=&campaignid=12873834661&mkgroupid=123950835322&rlsatarget=pla-1262376588856&abcId=9300536&merchantid=420526911&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpM-QtYOO9AIVa3xvBB1CQwA2EAQYBSABEgJyzfD_BwE

I am very tender hearted and i’m very cautious right now because i originally had two chicks that i got at the same time, and one of them passed away and i’m not sure if it was because of the older chicks or because it hit its head on one of the support beams in the run. So after that I was very anxious to put the last chick in.

Hopefully they work it out in the coming days but if not then i’m either going to separate the bully or get the pin-less peepers.

 

[CKfarm22]

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.

The coop is 4’x5’ and the run is about 12’x5’ (they also get to free range when i’m around). Yes i know it’s small, i’m working on building a bigger coop. I have a pallet in the run that she can hide behind and two buckets but she chooses the pallet.

Honestly the attacks happen at different times. Thanks to @Aunt Angus she suggested just trying to put the chick on the roost when all the other birds have already gone to bed and i’ve been doing that for the past three nights (on the other end of the roost) and they have been fine with her because they can’t see her. Yesterday how ever, when the sun came up and they could see, the bully bird made her way all the way across the roost just to peck at the chick. Sometimes the chick likes to hang out in the coop for the day and the bully bird will come in and chase her. She pecks at the water and food when the older chicks aren’t looking.
This is the video where the bully hen comes in and chases her. And yes she was in the nesting box but the hen already laid an egg that day:

 

[Ridgerunner]

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!

 

[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!!!

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!

 

[CKfarm22]

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!

Spoke too soon smh. The bully hen pecked her and she got down. I had to assist and put her back onto the roost.

 

[aart]

Spoke too soon smh. The bully hen pecked her and she got down.

It's gonna take time.

 

[CKfarm22]

I wanted to do a little update. They are still pecking and chasing her. But today the bully hen laid an egg with the chick in the nesting box. So I’m guessing that’s a good sign.

 

[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