Newly acquired hen is a bully

[EggChickChicken]

I just got started with backyard chickens. Ordered 6 chicks online. They came in the mail, one was dead. So I have 5 now. They're all very peaceful together, no problems. But I started thinking that I should have bought more chickens, more than 5. Five is a decent amount of work, and I can't imagine 10 being that much more work, but twice the eggs. So I looked into local chickens. I found this guy selling a 9 week old austrolorp. So I ended up buying that one and two others from him.

The others are closer to my chicks ages (around 6 weeks). There's no problem with my chicks and the other two, but the 9 week old is chasing my chicks into the corner and pecking them.

I know it's early, but I'd like to manage the situation now instead of when unnecessary problems develop.

So I used 3 to 4 feet of chicken wire and made a jail inside my coop for the 9 week old. IS this the right way of dealing with the problem? Can I keep her inside there for a few days to break her?

Thank you

 

[Mrs. K]

What will break her is when the other chicks get bigger. However, she might always be the leader or cranky. If you have added chickens the whole flock is upset, it really ruffles their feathers when you change things, but they get over it.

I think a month the others will be big enough to handle her. Another idea is to put things in your run that act as hideouts. A pallet on bricks offers shade and a level to perch on, Some extra roosts. A pallet that the little ones can get through, but the bigger one can't might work best in the run, so they can get away from her until she gets used to them.

I think that THIS is the worst, once they get used to each other, it should not be a long term problem. In a month, the size difference will be much less, maybe sooner. Right now it is size and stranger that is making her pick on them.

If you have her locked in the coop, make sure it does not get too hot in there in the day time.

And look at your total space, what seems like a lot of space for baby chicks, often is NOT enough space for full grown birds. Over crowding causes lots of problems.

Mrs K