Meanie chicken

[stasichick]

Hello BYC fam!

So we are having probs with one of our hens....

We purchased 3 babies (white cochin, barred rock, and buff orp) about 10 months ago they are perfect, happy and healthy! About 10 months ago, someone wanted to get rid of their three 1 y/o chickens: 1 barred rock, and two brown leghorns. (one leghorn is big and the other is small (? bantam or just malnourished) Shortly after the "adoption" the barred rock died so we were down to two "adopted" leghorns. Each flock has their own house but they share the enclosure. They get along pretty well for the last 6 months... up until recently. The leghorns have moved into the other babies house with them. All chickens are now sleeping together in our original house and laying in the "adopted house."

RECENTLY: The larger leghorn is beating on ALL the other chickens. She is mean. They have multiple food and water sources, lay boxes, dust bathing areas, etc. I can not understand why all the sudden this switch in the last week or so. its like she is just mad and wants to hurt everyone. Any suggestions?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hello BYC fam!

So we are having probs with one of our hens....

We purchased 3 babies (white cochin, barred rock, and buff orp) about 10 months ago they are perfect, happy and healthy! About 10 months ago, someone wanted to get rid of their three 1 y/o chickens: 1 barred rock, and two brown leghorns. (one leghorn is big and the other is small (? bantam or just malnourished) Shortly after the "adoption" the barred rock died so we were down to two "adopted" leghorns. Each flock has their own house but they share the enclosure. They get along pretty well for the last 6 months... up until recently. The leghorns have moved into the other babies house with them. All chickens are now sleeping together in our original house and laying in the "adopted house."

RECENTLY: The larger leghorn is beating on ALL the other chickens. She is mean. They have multiple food and water sources, lay boxes, dust bathing areas, etc. I can not understand why all the sudden this switch in the last week or so. its like she is just mad and wants to hurt everyone. Any suggestions?

What, if any, actual physical damage is being done? Are you seeing feathers pulled, pecking or actual bloody wounds? What circumstances are you seeing the aggression arise in?

 

[stasichick]

Both my buff and my cochin have blood on / around their combs. I have personally watched her try to jump onto of my little barred rock and hold her down. She is constantly chasing the other chickens around. Sometimes for no apparent reason at all. Shes like a gang member. One look in her direction and shes ready fight. Naturally around the food and water dish when I give them fresh or new food. but usually after shes satisfied she will walk away and let her "minions" have their turn. She also has a bad habbit of sleeping in the nesting box. We have 5 chickens and 4 lay boxes. so there is plenty of room for laying.

 

[junebuggena]

How big is their run?

 

[stasichick]

. Here is an image they have a free range run about 10 x 20

edit: might be a bit bigger than that now that i am looking at it. I can measure when I get home.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

. Here is an image they have a free range run about 10 x 20

Is the structure shown the only coop space the birds have? If so, that is not sufficient for the five birds (run is a different consideration) and overcrowding can lead to behavioral issues such as you are seeing. The design of the coop is also at the root of your nest box sleeping issue as the "roosts" in those little setups are not suitable for actual roosting.

 

[stasichick]

Hi there, to answer your question: No there are two houses. There is another one the same size behind it that the Leghorns used to live in. For some reason they no longer want to sleep in that house and tried to move in with the others. Any suggestions? Should I lock the two that "belong" in the other house for a few days?

 

[junebuggena]

If they are all trying to crowd into one house or the other, that would be your problem. The larger one looks like it might hold 2 or 3. The smaller one looks like it would barely be enough room for a pair of bantams. I think your coops are the root of your problem. They are taking up a lot of run space, too. That would be another contributing factor. One coop large enough for everyone, and removing the two too small coops should solve your problems.

 

[stasichick]

Thanks for the info! We were planning on making one large coop this summer. Both of thoes houses are supposed to hold 4 regular size chickens or 6-8 bantams. We got them from hayneedle.com will definitely be re-doing everything. soon!

 

[junebuggena]

Prefab coops only hold half of what they claim to. They use commercial guidelines for battery type farms. It's not close to being enough space for a happy, healthy chicken.