It appears to be bullying…

[wolfpack65]

I’ve read quite a few threads on bullying and I’m still kinda not sure what I should do.

I posted a couple days ago about my Buff Orpington looking a bit rough - feared that it was mites. Bought treatment but haven’t used yet.

I haven’t used because I believe I have discovered one of the Golden Laced Wyandottes being a bully. I saw her go after the same Buff over the weekend and finally, last night I have evidence on camera of her attacking the Buff, who desperately tried to get away.

I got mad, went out and took the Wyandotte out and put her in a dog crate for the night. I put her back with the flock this morning because I really didn’t have things set up for segregation.

Watching the camera tonight, she pecked at one of the barred rocks this evening.

Their coop is 4x6 with 2 nesting boxes and 2 @2x4 roosts (flatter side down) at the same height. There is a run built with the coop that is 6x8 and I also have a 6x30 run attached to this.

In the 6x8 run, they have their food/water, a dust bath pan, a roost and also a place where I attach a string and hang a cabbage or similar for them to peck at.

In the 6x30 run, it is filled with leaves I get from the yard and I throw scratch and other veggies in there for them to scratch around for.

Not sure how to proceed. Here in northwestern NC, it’s going to be cold Thanksgiving day till the first of the week. I don’t exactly have a way to segregate the Wyandotte other than crating her - should I crate her and keep her in the 6x8 part or should I crate her and keep everyone from seeing her?

I don’t understand why she has started doing this; I know that just bc they have been together since chicks, doesn’t mean things are always going to be good. All are 9 mo old and I have 2 Buffs, 2 Wyandottes, 2 barred rocks.

I did have a rooster but got rid of him back in September because he was hard on the hens and I needed eyes in the back of my head with him around.

Should I segregate till I can get some pinless peepers and try that? I’ll give her away too…

 

[Mrs. K]

Some birds can take a bit of overcrowding and some cannot. Bullying often shows up now as birds become full size, and the short days and long nights keep them cooped up in the dark.

I would try the pin less peepers on her ASAP. They have helped a lot of people with a small flock. The thing is, that feather pecking and bulling can develop a habit that is hard to break.

Mrs K

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Their coop is 4x6 with 2 nesting boxes and 2 @2x4 roosts (flatter side down) at the same height. There is a run built with the coop that is 6x8 and I also have a 6x30 run attached to this.

Is there any way you can raise the roosts so they are at least a foot higher than the top of the nests? I am not sure if this will help resolve your problem, but it might. Chickens instinctively roost as high as they can get, and if the nests and roosts are at the same height, maybe your Wyandotte is a little territorial about the nests? Idk. I am just thinking out loud here.

How many chickens did you say you have in this 24 sq ft space? Do the nests occupy any of this square footage?

Fixed typos.