Mean Hen

[TarynLord]

Hey guys so we have this hen she is a "California White". We had her in a run by herself for about a week and we finally found a rooster and 2 hens to put in there with her. She has been bullying the other 2 hens since we put them in there with her. The rooster isn't doing anything about it and the California is at the top of the pecking order even above the rooster. im not sure if its because he is quite young (like 8 or 9 months) or because she was in there alone for a while or maybe the run is too small for those 4 chickens? I would say its probably 8'X3'. We do have a new larger run that we ordered we just have to put it together this weekend. Would that solve the problem? I really don't want to have to sell her she is one of my favorites and she lays a beautiful large pink egg. Any advice is appreciated!!

 

[nuthatched]

How did you introduce them? Did you quarantine the new birds?

 

[TarynLord]

How did you introduce them? Did you quarantine the new birds?

we just put them in there

 

[nuthatched]

we just put them in there

Well, that's the problem. Chickens are territorial, she's not happy out the trespassing.
Take them out and keep them on the other side of a fence for a few weeks. I
Its best to always quarantine new birds for a month, to be sure they're not carrying disease or parasites.

 

[TarynLord]

Well, that's the problem. Chickens are territorial, she's not happy out the trespassing.
Take them out and keep them on the other side of a fence for a few weeks. I
Its best to always quarantine new birds for a month, to be sure they're not carrying disease or parasites.

so I should put them separate but where they can still see each other? do you think that will fix the issue or is it too late for her in that flock?

 

[nuthatched]

so I should put them separate but where they can still see each other? do you think that will fix the issue or is it too late for her in that flock?

Yes, see but no touch. For any quarantine reason, it's too late but hopefully they're clean.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have them separate but in view of one another as noted above, and don't attempt to put them together again until the new run is assembled and cluttered up https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/page-6#post-25037140 to provide hiding spots to help the bullied birds. The existing run is too small for 4 birds and these are newcomers, so the lack of space amplified the aggression.

Your rooster isn't a rooster yet, he's still a cockerel and sounds like he doesn't have the maturity to stand up against a grown hen yet.