Old hen picking on pullets

[RoyalCoopMom]

I have a flock of 7 hens. my oldest girls are a 3 year old BR and a 18 month old brown leghorn (bantam). 3 months ago I merged 5 - 8 week old pullets. They did fine no blood but the big girls did chase the little girls and the two groups hung apart for most of the last 3 months. They are now starting to at least come for treats together and occasionally range together. from the beginning I had to block off the nest box because one of the pullets was trying to sleep in there. Now that the pullets are beginning to lay I have opened up the nest boxes again. However, the welsummer is going back to sleeping in the nest box and now I realize it is because the leghorn is picking on her. She picks on the others too but they just put up with it. How do I break the leghorn so the welsummer will roost with the rest of the flock?

 

[aart]

The leghorn is probably low bird of the older birds, not unusual for low birds to lord it over younger groups. Your not likely to 'break' the LH from doing her thing.

The pecking may have accelerated as the youngest birds come into lay and work their way into the olders pecking order. Block the nests an hour before roost time and uncover after dark when you lock up or at daybreak in the morning to keep the pullet from sleeping in nests.

Hopefully you have plenty of coop space and roost length, putting up a separate roost might help. Pics of your coop, inside and out, showing the roosts might help us spot a problem/improvement.

 

[RoyalCoopMom]

my coop is not very large. about 22 sq ft with one 6 foot roost on one wall about 24 inches high. I think I'll add a smaller low roost for the welsummer in the opposite corner from where the LH likes to roost. Currently The 3 year old roosts by window on one end with the LH practically tucked under her wing. then there is a gap of about 2 foot of roost and the younger girls are on the other end. spaced out a little more, in no particular order. The run is fully enclosed and has two more roosts. After I merged them and everyone had access to the coop, in rather short order they were all roosting in the coop even though the weather was fine to roost outside. They have about 200 square foot of run and free range 3-10 hours a day so don't spend any time in coop except to lay and sleep.

I like the idea of blocking off the nest box every evening I think that will help. Hopefully things will improve after they all are laying. So far only one pullet is laying, an olive egger, and I notice that she now runs with the big girls sometimes. Interesting how this all works. Thanks for the advice. BYC is awesome!

 

[aart]

my coop is not very large. about 22 sq ft

Well, that's part of the problem.
That's mighty tight for 7 birds, especially during integration and onset of lay...
.....and maybe winter too, tho the fully enclosed run will help with that.

 

[RoyalCoopMom]

When i integrated them I had a temp coop as well from the little girls brooder setup. But they all started using the main coop soon after I merged them. I could put a temp coop back up. It was a dryer box so it won't last the winter but would get me through the onset of laying. The temp coop is clear on the other side of the run so I think they just want to be close together. Don't think the Welsummer is going to go there by herself and nobody else is much phased by the LHs behavior.

 

[jolly wattles]

I'm in the process of introducing 4 new pulleys. It's been about a month now. What has worked for me in the past and now is I have 3 different roost heights. And 50sq foot coop. The older lady's roost on top. The lower pecking order are in the middle and pullets on the lowest roost.

 

[aart]

When i integrated them I had a temp coop as well from the little girls brooder setup. But they all started using the main coop soon after I merged them. I could put a temp coop back up. It was a dryer box so it won't last the winter but would get me through the onset of laying. The temp coop is clear on the other side of the run so I think they just want to be close together. Don't think the Welsummer is going to go there by herself and nobody else is much phased by the LHs behavior.

I would not separate the welsummer....might separate the bully for a couple weeks tho.

 

[RoyalCoopMom]

Ok I'm going to add another roost. The 6 foot roost is 17 inches off the ground the new roost will be 12 inches high and 24 inches long together with blocking off the nest boxes at night hopefully we can get through. If this doesn't help I'll try another temp coop for the LH. I don't think anyone would use it if I gave them a choice. They just all want to be together and there is no way to make my main coop bigger.

Today I found two piled in the same nest box and they both layed I don't know how the box is only 12 x 12, the young pullet was literally on top of the LH There is another box just like it next door but that one was not happenin'

BTW another question: This pullet, an olive egger, layed her first egg last week and hasn't stopped since. This is her 10th egg in ten days. Is this normal? I've never seen anything like this before usually they are pretty erratic the first couple weeks but this is my first non white or brown layer. maybe she's just happy? One can hope the rest are too!

 

[aart]

TW another question: This pullet, an olive egger, layed her first egg last week and hasn't stopped since. This is her 10th egg in ten days. Is this normal? I've never seen anything like this before usually they are pretty erratic the first couple weeks but this is my first non white or brown layer.

Can depend on the cross...where did you get her?
My BCMxCCL OE laid 9 days in a row before taking 1 day off...so 10 eggs in her first 11 days laying...so yeah, it can happen.

 

[RoyalCoopMom]

She came from a local hatchery in Lebanon MO - Cackle. Got her at 3 days old. No idea what her cross is. she cost more and I was hesitant since my experience is low, just 3 years. I guess it was a good risk!