Cloversnatcher
In the Brooder
Dear Friends,
I need advice about an ongoing pecking order issue within the flock.
18 months ago, I inherited 10, one week old Andalusian chicks. Raised in a brooder in the house until 3 months, then moved to an intermediary coop outside. Four were male, so we gave three away, keeping the prime rooster. At five months, we moved the pullets to a larger coop, with a good sized covered run. At six months, the rooster became combative toward me, so we gave him away, leaving six hens. One of the hens suddenly died, reason unknown, she had seemed healthy... leaving five. Soon after, four of the hens started picking on the smallest hen. One night they bloodied her head so badly that we pulled her out and placed her in the smaller coop to heal and grow back her feathers. Once healthy, we tried to reintroduce her to the flock. No luck, same thing, they really hurt her overnight, she had a bad wound on her head. So we pulled her back out, got her healthy again and introduced three pullets to her in the smaller coop, hoping she might have her own protective flock.
At that point, three of the other Andalusian hens started picking on one, so we thought maybe they needed more space, we started free ranging them. In two days, they drove off the one they were picking on, and she refused to come in the coop that night, roosting in a nearby tree. Next morning she was just gone, leaving the three mean Andalusians, now free ranging and sleeping in the smaller coop at night.
The little one and her new flock were in the bigger coop, two turned out to be roosters, so we removed one, they were fine together. After a while we free ranged everyone during the day when possible. Everyone now seemed to be getting along just fine, five hens and a rooster, and they all decided to roost together in the larger coop. For a while, it seemed like the problem was resolved and the Rhode Island Red rooster seemed to be keeping the peace.
Today, it was raining really hard and they all chose to stay inside, when I went to check on them in the afternoon, the smallest hen had literally no feathers on her back and she's walking in a very submissive manner, crouched down to the ground whenever the two meanest are near her. They don't let her or the other new hen eat, in spite of there being lots of food and water dispensers to choose from... wherever they try to eat they are run off. They are not plucking at the new hen, she's a big fat R.I.R, but she's completely intimidated by them.
Unfortunately, we are heading into some really cold weather and the smaller coop is not suitable for sub-zero temperatures, what can we do?
All of our hens lay an egg every day as a rule, and all are valued and loved... but I'm starting to think we may need to remove one, or some... fellow chicken lovers and experts, what do you suggest?
I need advice about an ongoing pecking order issue within the flock.
18 months ago, I inherited 10, one week old Andalusian chicks. Raised in a brooder in the house until 3 months, then moved to an intermediary coop outside. Four were male, so we gave three away, keeping the prime rooster. At five months, we moved the pullets to a larger coop, with a good sized covered run. At six months, the rooster became combative toward me, so we gave him away, leaving six hens. One of the hens suddenly died, reason unknown, she had seemed healthy... leaving five. Soon after, four of the hens started picking on the smallest hen. One night they bloodied her head so badly that we pulled her out and placed her in the smaller coop to heal and grow back her feathers. Once healthy, we tried to reintroduce her to the flock. No luck, same thing, they really hurt her overnight, she had a bad wound on her head. So we pulled her back out, got her healthy again and introduced three pullets to her in the smaller coop, hoping she might have her own protective flock.
At that point, three of the other Andalusian hens started picking on one, so we thought maybe they needed more space, we started free ranging them. In two days, they drove off the one they were picking on, and she refused to come in the coop that night, roosting in a nearby tree. Next morning she was just gone, leaving the three mean Andalusians, now free ranging and sleeping in the smaller coop at night.
The little one and her new flock were in the bigger coop, two turned out to be roosters, so we removed one, they were fine together. After a while we free ranged everyone during the day when possible. Everyone now seemed to be getting along just fine, five hens and a rooster, and they all decided to roost together in the larger coop. For a while, it seemed like the problem was resolved and the Rhode Island Red rooster seemed to be keeping the peace.
Today, it was raining really hard and they all chose to stay inside, when I went to check on them in the afternoon, the smallest hen had literally no feathers on her back and she's walking in a very submissive manner, crouched down to the ground whenever the two meanest are near her. They don't let her or the other new hen eat, in spite of there being lots of food and water dispensers to choose from... wherever they try to eat they are run off. They are not plucking at the new hen, she's a big fat R.I.R, but she's completely intimidated by them.
Unfortunately, we are heading into some really cold weather and the smaller coop is not suitable for sub-zero temperatures, what can we do?
All of our hens lay an egg every day as a rule, and all are valued and loved... but I'm starting to think we may need to remove one, or some... fellow chicken lovers and experts, what do you suggest?
..I'm sure you understood my reply..
Really...
