One chicken being bullied.

[HenSolo84]

Hi there! We've got 6 hens that we got as chicks back in April 2019. They always gotten along well aside from the pecking order check here and there. Our Blue Australorp (Frost) has is being chased, hunted, pinned and pecked by our 2 Ameracaunas (Hen Solo and Buttercup) and our Blue Wyandotte (Turkey). Turkey has always been the most aloof and chill, so it's so bizarre that she's the instigator! I've moved Turkey into our chicken jail and Hen Solo and Buttercup back into our old, smaller run that we just moved them out of. Frost was scared to go back into the new coop (we just moved them on Sunday to a much bigger run and coop). We thought she was broody again so she was in chicken jail for 3 days, but she's just been trying to hide from the other hens. Our barred rock (Aeris) and Olive Egger (Starbocks) are totally fine with her right now. They are the only ones in the new run right now. Aeris has always been the top hen so she gives pecks once in a while to keep in check, but nothing like what the others were doing.

How long should I leave them all in chicken jail? Should I be doing anything different? It did start long before we moved them in to the new, much bigger coop. We thought it would get better with more space and foliage and whatnot, but nothing has changed. Thanks for any advice!!

 

[Neggative]

keeping them seperate might help prob not tho.... your best bet i think is to trade her for another hen of simialar age.... ime sure someone around you would take her....

 

[HenSolo84]

keeping them seperate might help prob not tho.... your best bet i think is to trade her for another hen of simialar age.... ime sure someone around you would take her....

I'm sure getting rid of my chicken is not the only option. She's not going anywhere.

 

[LaFleche]

If you have enough space you might want to add some new chickens of about the same age, or maybe even get a nice and experienced rooster who will put the bully in her place.

 

[Gooseface]

I would leave them in jail for a solid week, then introduce them back into the main coop 1 bird a day....re-establish the pecking order.

 

[HenSolo84]

If you have enough space you might want to add some new chickens of about the same age, or maybe even get a nice and experienced rooster who will put the bully in her place.

Thanks. We live in the city so no rooster and only 6 birds allowed.

 

[LaFleche]

Well, living in the city you might rather want to try Gooseface's proposal, hopefully it will work for you.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of current setup, both coop and run?

 

[HenSolo84]

Photos of current setup, both coop and run?

I'll get some tomorrow. This started before we moved them. I'll post both.

 

[HenSolo84]

New coop is 4x8.

Brooder box (chicken jail #1) above the nesting boxes. That's Turkey back in that corner. The bucket was supposed to be a makeshift nesting box since she's still laying. We will house chicks here next spring, too.

Old coop was only 2x3 (first time chicken owners, here. We've learned a lot!)

New run!

Frost

Hen Solo and Buttercup. Hen Solo was the first to get her neck feathers plucked out. they've been like this for months! I don't know if it's her doing it our someone else, but ALL but my barred rock have missing neck feathers to varying degrees.