Moody Chickens

[Marie6]

Hi! First year with chickens. I got 6 chickens when they were just hatched the first week of April. I got 4 more a few weeks ago born late July/early August.
We just built a 10x10 coop with plenty of space and plenty of roosting bars so plenty of space. The 3 of the younger chickens won’t even go on the bars to sleep. One goes to the top and squeezes in. The older hens are now pecking each other and drew blood once. I had the babies in a separate coop for a week and they are fine outside.
What do I do? They have the space and got along fine but agitated at bedtime now. They’ve been in the new coop for 2 weeks and I think when the new babies moved in, this started even tho babies won’t go near them.

 

[sourland]

Flock integration always interferes with the pecking order and it will take time for things to resolve. As long as all birds are managing to eat and drink and are not being injured just let them work things our.

 

[WingsysRoost]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad to have you here.

Changing the structure of the flock means that they will have to work out a new pecking order. It can definitely be alarming when that results in them drawing blood, but as long as they are all able to get food and water and they aren't getting severe injuries, things will most likely work out with a bit of time.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad to have you here.

Changing the structure of the flock means that they will have to work out a new pecking order. It can definitely be alarming when that results in them drawing blood, but as long as they are all able to get food and water and they aren't getting severe injuries, things will most likely work out with a bit of time.

My 5 hens had two 8 ft roosting bars parallel to one another. I had to remove one because roost time was so dramatic. 2 hens got leg injuries in less than 2 weeks from being pushed off and hitting the other roost. I'd witness them jumping back and forth from one roost to the other. No leg issues since than, but i cant tolerate roost drama. I walk away fast! Heres what is current: one hen, Rosie, jumps up to roost and literally marches back and forth daring any chicken to jump up. When they do, Rosie will put her head down and Charge them pushing them off. 2 of the hens have resorted to one of the 4 nesting boxes. Coppertop is the only hen that takes the hit. Every night, she jumps up and instantly crouches down, taking Rosies hits and pushes Rosie to the end of roost and continues to take the hits while all the 1 remaining hen jumps up and goes to the other side. It should be interesting when the weather gets really cold! I hope all the molting is done by then.