bokbokbacab
Chirping
- Aug 10, 2020
- 25
- 18
- 79
All together I have 3 pullets--one buff orpington about 28 weeks old (Fluffy), and two speckled Sussex pullets around 17-18 weeks old (Sneezy and Cinnamon). The two speckled girls were bought to replace a barred rock who passed away and left the buff alone. The birds were introduced gradually, with the newcomers finally put in with Fluffy exactly 2 weeks ago.
There were of course scuffles to figure pecking order, with Fluffy coming out on top largely because she is bigger than the other two and also a bit aggressive overall. Those have mostly settled down and the chickens seem mostly content during the day but night is another story.
My buff, who originally REFUSED to roost on the actual roosting bar EVER, has now taught herself to roost *solely* to keep the other pullets off of it. She will jump up there, pace back and forth, pecking mercilessly at the other girls if they try to get up at all. The other girls keep trying though.
For the last few nights I have used a stick to prod Fluffy away from the other chickens and keep her from pecking them. It seemed to work for a couple nights and everyone settled at separate ends of the bar from each other. But tonight Fluffy was being enough of an unholy terror to make them both choose to roost lower down.
I am getting tired of this and wonder if anyone has advice on how to get Fluffy to cut it out. Should I put her in time out for a while? Keep prodding her away from the others? Let them figure it out on their own? The coop is 4' x 4' (16 sq. ft) and they are only 3 not even fully grown chickens. There is more than enough room! But Fluff doesn't want to share.
Photo of the flock just because:
There were of course scuffles to figure pecking order, with Fluffy coming out on top largely because she is bigger than the other two and also a bit aggressive overall. Those have mostly settled down and the chickens seem mostly content during the day but night is another story.
My buff, who originally REFUSED to roost on the actual roosting bar EVER, has now taught herself to roost *solely* to keep the other pullets off of it. She will jump up there, pace back and forth, pecking mercilessly at the other girls if they try to get up at all. The other girls keep trying though.
For the last few nights I have used a stick to prod Fluffy away from the other chickens and keep her from pecking them. It seemed to work for a couple nights and everyone settled at separate ends of the bar from each other. But tonight Fluffy was being enough of an unholy terror to make them both choose to roost lower down.
I am getting tired of this and wonder if anyone has advice on how to get Fluffy to cut it out. Should I put her in time out for a while? Keep prodding her away from the others? Let them figure it out on their own? The coop is 4' x 4' (16 sq. ft) and they are only 3 not even fully grown chickens. There is more than enough room! But Fluff doesn't want to share.
Photo of the flock just because:
