Interfering with roosting and pecking order?

[Kaesi2020]

Hi all, I have six hens, a year old. For the most part they seem to get a long but roosting in the coop at night can be an issue. I know they have their pecking order but they can be so rough. Tonight my EE literally pecked and pulled my BO's comb. The BO got knocked from her spot as a result- most nights end up this way with her getting booted and having to find another roost spot. Do you ever interfere with the roost bullying? A couple of times I have by taking a chicken down while another gets situated or helping a chicken find a roost spot away from their bully. Should I just let nature take its course and leave them alone? For further info, they do not do this all the time, just sometimes. There is adequate space for them as well as ventilation...they seem comfortable in there. They all prefer either a window spot or the spot right in the middle. Some will "babysit" the roost- walking along it as to prevent other chickens from jumping up...

 

[sourland]

She who ranks highest gets the best spot.

 

[Tonyroo]

Or use partitions/dividers on the roost bar to accommodate 2 chickens per divide. Then there's less squabbling of who gets what.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as there's plenty of roost available and no one's getting bloodied, I don't interfere.

We do move chickens sometimes but it's mainly things like moving a bird with a tweaked leg to a lower bar to make landing easier on her, things like that.

 

[Kaesi2020]

As long as there's plenty of roost available and no one's getting bloodied, I don't interfere.

We do move chickens sometimes but it's mainly things like moving a bird with a tweaked leg to a lower bar to make landing easier on her, things like that.

Thanks! We have one long roost bar across the coop. Would adding a lower roost bar as well just add to the pecking order issue? I have read a mix on BYC- some people have high and low bars and some say having one at the same level...

 

[aart]

I have six hens, a year old.

Have you had them since they were chicks?
Has this always been an issue?

We have one long roost bar across the coop.

How long is it?
Got pics?

 

[aldarita]

I believe this is the nature of chickens. I call it the evening coop drama. Every single night there have to be squabbles. I have big coops with plenty of roosting areas and they still fight. My biggest coop 10x12 has six hens and 4 roosting boxes, they invariably squabble every night and only use 2 boxes side by side. I have HDTV cameras in the coops and watch them at it. At the end they pretty much sleep in the same spot but it is wild for a while until they settle down. As long as they don't hurt themselves, I let them be (no interference) or if there is one with a problem, I help one way or another.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks! We have one long roost bar across the coop. Would adding a lower roost bar as well just add to the pecking order issue? I have read a mix on BYC- some people have high and low bars and some say having one at the same level...

Adding another roost may help, but having it lower than the first may or may not be preferable (which is why you see mixed reviews on having laddered roost bars). Birds generally want to sit on the higher roost. But I do get birds using the lower bar, mostly younger or lower ranked birds, so for me, it works. But if all the birds are insisting on sitting on the top bar, then the lower one may go unused.

 

[Justicedog]

I have 3 old girls and 5 young girls and one 8 foot roost along the back. When I moved the young ones in with the old ones I split off the coop, half for each group. Later, I took the divide away. They were fine, except at night. They each would still roost on their own side, but one of the old girls would walk over and start harassing a young one, so I put the divider up again - just where the roost is. I tried taking it down a couple times, but that cranky old hen just won't have it. It's getting to the point that the new girls are getting bigger and could really use more of the roost, but the old meanie won't allow it.

So, I'm interested in how it worked for you and others.

 

[crazychick26201]

I wonder how you make a divide for the roost? Can you describe or send a photo? I am having the same issue.