is this normal hen behavior

[Rosalba]

so on jan 20 I added my 3 month old chicks w my older flock and my hen was always pecking at them I get its the pecking order but she would just constantly do it and this morning she was not bothering them at all and I feed them all and she wouldn't come out to eat she probably ate a crumb of food. Is she being nice or is there something wrong with her?

 

[FluffySilkie]

so on jan 20 I added my 3 month old chicks w my older flock and my hen was always pecking at them I get its the pecking order but she would just constantly do it and this morning she was not bothering them at all and I feed them all and she wouldn't come out to eat she probably ate a crumb of food. Is she being nice or is there something wrong with her?

Shes probably stressed, bored, sick, or overcrowded!
A link of what I found: https://mainstreetproject.org/why-do-my-chickens-peck-each-other-and-what-can-i-do/

Has she been an only chicken? If so for how long?

 

[Rosalba]

Shes probably stressed, bored, sick, or overcrowded!
A link of what I found: https://mainstreetproject.org/why-do-my-chickens-peck-each-other-and-what-can-i-do/

Has she been an only chicken? If so for how long?

No she grew up w 2 sisters and a brother. Sadly one sister died. But she has always had company. Also I think the reason she is not pecking at them is bc its cols and she probably does not have energy to go chase them off .

notice how they're puffed bc of the cold

 

[FluffySilkie]

No she grew up w 2 sisters and a brother. Sadly one sister died. But she has always had company. Also I think the reason she is not pecking at them is bc its cols and she probably does not have energy to go chase them off .View attachment 2517323 notice how they're puffed bc of the cold

I think you’re right about, the not being able to chase them so she pecks.

 

[nuthatched]

How long were they separated before you introduced them?

 

[Rosalba]

How long were they separated before you introduced them?

Well when the chickens were about a month old I would release them to the garden next to where the chicken fence was. So they had access to seeing each other but they were separated by chicken wire and they were like that for 2 months until the chicks turned 3 mo old and I released them w the others.

you can see the chicken fence next to the garden

 

[nuthatched]

Well when the chickens were about a month old I would release them to the garden next to where the chicken fence was. So they had access to seeing each other but they were separated by chicken wire and they were like that for 2 months until the chicks turned 3 mo old and I released them w the others.View attachment 2517356 you can see the chicken fence next to the garden

Looks good. Maybe she's just a cranky old biddy.

 

[Rosalba]

Looks good. Maybe she's just a cranky old biddy.

Maybe. I've always wondered if she was a dominant hen but there was no reason for her to be one since there's a rooster. Like I've seen her kind of do warning calls with the rooster when they see birds. Idk or maybe shes just trying to mock him