Mean Girls

[Cecex3]

My journey with chickens has been educating! I originally got 6 chicks and they were the cutest flock but I ended up with 3 pullets and 3 cockerels . So I had to rehome the cockerels to a friend with a farm because I’m in the city I can’t have them. So I was left with 3 pullets but still wanted to have 6 so I purchased 3 more sex link chicks to make sure this time I got pullets. Now my hens are 28 weeks and my pullets are 16 and they have been with each other in the coop 6 weeks together now. But my hens are so mean to the pullets. They aren’t mean girls usually but they will not accept my pullets. I have to feed them separate, put them to bed separate and I wake up extra early to let the pullets out before the hens start to pick on them in the coop. Any ideas how I can help them to be one happy family? Please help!

 

[Mrs. K]

What is your space size, and how does it look?

Almost always, continually fighting birds is caused by not enough space. Many times the pre-fab houses say they can hold 6 birds, when in reality they cannot. So how big is your set up in actual measurements?

So many times when you see pictures of runs, they are just an open rectangle whereas any chicken can see any other chicken 100% of the time. There is no place for birds to get out of sight of other birds. This can make birds aggressive. Solution is to add clutter, that a bird can get behind, or on top, or underneath.

Add ladders, roosts, sawhorses, pallets, small pieces of plywood, totes on their side, wind breaks that birds can get on both sides. The run will look more cluttered to you, but much more interesting to them.

When you add a second or even third feed station or place (I have one for about every 3-4 birds, make sure that it is set up, so that a bird eating at one station cannot see a bird eating at another.

Sometimes, it is one or two lead birds that lead the charge, and the others follow. If so, pull her out for a while, or even two of them out. A couple of days in a crate won't hurt them, or where-ever you kept the chicks when they were small. If you pull a pair out for 3-4 days, only let one bird back in, see how it goes.

And sometimes you just get birds that do not work together. Not real often, but sometimes. Always solve for peace in the flock.

Mrs K

 

[McChooky]

I built my 6 chicks a 30 sq ft coop (5 sq ft per bird)with a 4 x 6 enclosed run in front of the coop (24 sq ft run) and another 30 sq ft under it. They started pulling feathers out and were growing faster than I could build but I managed to get a 128 sq ft extension built soon after they turned 16 wks old .Their favorite spot is underneath the coop even though they have 206 sq ft to roam in. Not having enough room is a disaster so I won't be getting anymore than I already have.My hens have 34 sq ft per bird so we're happy!

 

[Cecex3]

My journey with chickens has been educating! I originally got 6 chicks and they were the cutest flock but I ended up with 3 pullets and 3 cockerels . So I had to rehome the cockerels to a friend with a farm because I’m in the city I can’t have them. So I was left with 3 pullets but still wanted to have 6 so I purchased 3 more sex link chicks to make sure this time I got pullets. Now my hens are 28 weeks and my pullets are 16 and they have been with each other in the coop 6 weeks together now. But my hens are so mean to the pullets. They aren’t mean girls usually but they will not accept my pullets. I have to feed them separate, put them to bed separate and I wake up extra early to let the pullets out before the hens start to pick on them in the coop. Any ideas how I can help them to be one happy family? Please help!

What is your space size, and how does it look?

Almost always, continually fighting birds is caused by not enough space. Many times the pre-fab houses say they can hold 6 birds, when in reality they cannot. So how big is your set up in actual measurements?

So many times when you see pictures of runs, they are just an open rectangle whereas any chicken can see any other chicken 100% of the time. There is no place for birds to get out of sight of other birds. This can make birds aggressive. Solution is to add clutter, that a bird can get behind, or on top, or underneath.

Add ladders, roosts, sawhorses, pallets, small pieces of plywood, totes on their side, wind breaks that birds can get on both sides. The run will look more cluttered to you, but much more interesting to them.

When you add a second or even third feed station or place (I have one for about every 3-4 birds, make sure that it is set up, so that a bird eating at one station cannot see a bird eating at another.

Sometimes, it is one or two lead birds that lead the charge, and the others follow. If so, pull her out for a while, or even two of them out. A couple of days in a crate won't hurt them, or where-ever you kept the chicks when they were small. If you pull a pair out for 3-4 days, only let one bird back in, see how it goes.

And sometimes you just get birds that do not work together. Not real often, but sometimes. Always solve for peace in the flock.

Mrs K

Thank you thank you Mrs K! My coop was built to hold 12 chickens and I only have 6. They are free range for now so lots of room to roam or run if needed. We will be building a chicken run off the coop soon. Adding ladders swings etc is a great idea I will def do that.
Right now I do feed them treats separate and make sure the big girls don’t see the little girls eating however I will add more eating stations as you suggested!

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time out to type and help me! I will try everything and hope it works out! I’d hate to have to rehome any of my babies!

 

[McChooky]

Thank you thank you Mrs K! My coop was built to hold 12 chickens and I only have 6. They are free range for now so lots of room to roam or run if needed. We will be building a chicken run off the coop soon. Adding ladders swings etc is a great idea I will def do that.
Right now I do feed them treats separate and make sure the big girls don’t see the little girls eating however I will add more eating stations as you suggested!

I sincerely appreciate you taking the time out to type and help me! I will try everything and hope it works out! I’d hate to have to rehome any of my babies!

My coop was built for 6 pullets that I bought as day old chicks (24 but with nest boxes its 30 sq ft) 4 sq ft per bird .The attached "run" had to be built in a hurry because my chicks were feathered out so it was small (48 sq ft) By the time my pullets turned 18 weeks old the 128 sq ft extension was "finished" well enough to let them out in it everyday supervised. They were starting to feather pick and chase each other in the small run during the day but it immediately stopped when they were turned out in the big run .My 6 chickens now have 200- sq ft total and I don't have anymore issues now.Everything can go turn south fast when they don't have enough room.