How do I stop my chicken from being a bully

[madman109]

I have a Cream legbar hen(tweedy) which I’ve had from day one she is about 4 months old and she had 2 brothers she grew up with that I had to rehome because I can’t own roosters in my area sadly. But she was alone so I bought 3 10 week old chicks and 1 silkie which is nearly 6 months old to accompany her. I have separated them in different coops but close so they can see and hear eachother. Tweedy currently has her own big coop while the new chickens have the other coop. The silky is fine with the chicks and likewise and I am not introducing the chicks to Tweedy until they are big enough. But my main hen bullies the silkie and I’ve tried every way like putting silky in the same coop as tweedy at night time which does work but as soon as I see them in the morning waiting to be let out the silky is scared and in the corner and whenever she freaks out she runs to the other side and ends up being pecked as she gets too close to Tweedy. When they are out free ranged tweedy is on and off will do her thing then when she is close to the silky she will lunge forward and try to peck or tries to chase her. And my silky doesn’t fight back and is scared of my hen even though sometimes it seems they enjoy each others company when they can’t touch eachother and I’ve tried leaving silky in the coop and tried leaving tweedy in the coop by herself. Am I doing something wrong or am I not allowing myself time with each thing I’m doing? As I’ve heard it can take weeks for the process but I really want everyone to get along because the silky and 3 chicks already get along and don’t want to have to get rid of tweedy as she’s not violently aggressive and is really sweet when the silky isn’t involved. Also the silky was bullied by her old flock and I’m tryna give her a good life. What can I do?

 

[Evadig]

Hi and ! It’s not a good idea to put a single hen in with another. I would introduce all the silkies to Tweedy together (even if that means waiting till the chicks have grown up). Also, how old is Tweedy and long have you had the new birds? You did right separating them but they need to stay separate for at least a couple weeks…Also, if Tweedy was bullied at all by her brothers, she might have become a bully herself now that she’s the top hen. I have a Cream Legbar who was and is constantly picked on by another hen and she now bullies my three fifteen-week-old Orpington chicks. That’s all for now, hopefully someone else comes along soon with better advice !

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! I would recommend that you get one or two more silkies, from what I've observed here with bully posts it's usually when it's one type of chicken by itself. Strength in numbers. How long have you had them separated? Some pecking is normal, if you have strategic clutter and a hidden feed/water spot the flock should be able.to figure out the dynamics.

 

[madman109]

Hi and ! It’s not a good idea to put a single hen in with another. I would introduce all the silkies to Tweedy together (even if that means waiting till the chicks have grown up). Also, how old is Tweedy and long have you had the new birds? You did right separating them but they need to stay separate for at least a couple weeks…Also, if Tweedy was bullied at all by her brothers, she might have become a bully herself now that she’s the top hen. I have a Cream Legbar who was and is constantly picked on by another hen and she now bullies my three fifteen-week-old Orpington chicks. That’s all for now, hopefully someone else comes along soon with better advice !

Hey, yes I’ve let them all supervised free range together and they are kinda too quick for tweedy to peck and she is nearly 5 months old. I have 3 different chicks not all silkies, a Japanese bantam and a pekin bantam and another cream legbar all 10 weeks old and the legbar actually tried to stand up to tweedy but bailed. Tweedy wasn’t bullied as the flock grew up together and she was dominant of my then rooster silkie and I had a Australorp rooster who was the boss and none of them were aggressive and always stuck together. Should I keep the 4 new chickens separated temporarily until they are of size and let my legbar free range ? Though if there’s no other way I will likely get another silkie just so it doesn’t feel alone

 

[madman109]

Hello! I would recommend that you get one or two more silkies, from what I've observed here with bully posts it's usually when it's one type of chicken by itself. Strength in numbers. How long have you had them separated? Some pecking is normal, if you have strategic clutter and a hidden feed/water spot the flock should be able.to figure out the dynamics.

Hey yes I was thinking to buy another silkie so my silkie doesn’t feel alone, my legbar grew up with a silkie rooster but she was definitely higher in pecking order with her original flock of 3 and that silkie wasn’t bullied, my legbar also free ranges and only goes in coop to sleep. I kept new chickens in coop but let them free range after 1 week which now I know is too early so they will be staying in their own coop. She only pecks when my silkie gets too close. All the 4 new chickens I got can roam together but tweedy is away and she will run towards and flap wings at them (which is what she would do with her old flock to have fun) so the new chickens get scared but she doesn’t target the chicks only my silkie. I have food and water in each coop is that wrong? Also What is this strategic clutter and hidden feed?

 

[rosemarythyme]

she doesn’t target the chicks only my silkie. I have food and water in each coop is that wrong? Also What is this strategic clutter and hidden feed?

Silkies often get picked on because they're generally more docile and also look different. Sometimes it works out fine but in other cases it's not a good idea to have only a single Silkie in a non-Silkie flock. Some folks keep Silkies and/or Polish (or all bantams) in a completely separate enclosure to prevent bullying and picking issues. You may want to consider that option in this case.

Clutter provides hiding spaces and a bit of entertainment: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

Because dominant chickens will guard resources such as food, it's best to have multiple feeders spread out with clutter in between so a bird cannot see all the other birds eating from any given location.

 

[madman109]

Silkies often get picked on because they're generally more docile and also look different. Sometimes it works out fine but in other cases it's not a good idea to have only a single Silkie in a non-Silkie flock. Some folks keep Silkies and/or Polish (or all bantams) in a completely separate enclosure to prevent bullying and picking issues. You may want to consider that option in this case.

Clutter provides hiding spaces and a bit of entertainment: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140

Because dominant chickens will guard resources such as food, it's best to have multiple feeders spread out with clutter in between so a bird cannot see all the other birds eating from any given location.

I will get another silkie as I have room for 1 more hen anyway until the chicks grow up and it’s only just tweedy and the silkie I have now so there’s no competition but I will do this thanks for the info