Only two hens left, bully behavior, what would you do?

[thecatumbrella]

Get more chickens and try pinless peepers on the bully

What about introducing two or three new grown chickens to increase the size of your flock?

I would have loved to add more, but our set up stinks for integration. We're going to be mindful of the need to do this going forward.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I agree that there is such a thing as too few chickens. By their very nature chickens are very combative and prone to conflict, even within their own flock, even with siblings, parents and children, etc. - more so than other social animals. Chickens are just jerks. So flock dynamics are more important with them, and maintaining peace is more tricky.

I couldn't believe how nasty they got once the eggs started, and this was from "gentle" Australorps. Certainly learned that chicks and pullets are just the honeymoon phase before gets real. Debating whether we should get a "mono-flock" of all one type next round, or if that matters. I did see preference for their breed until it was just the two left. I don't even know if it's a good idea to get different colored Orpingtons!

 

[K0k0shka]

I couldn't believe how nasty they got once the eggs started, and this was from "gentle" Australorps. Certainly learned that chicks and pullets are just the honeymoon phase before gets real. Debating whether we should get a "mono-flock" of all one type next round, or if that matters. I did see preference for their breed until it was just the two left. I don't even know if it's a good idea to get different colored Orpingtons!

Oh yeah chickens are totally racist! I have 3 different breeds and they absolutely segregate by breed (even within the same age group and hatch-mates). And even within the same breed, they show a preference for others of their own color. I guess the saying "birds of a feather flock together" must have come from somewhere! I'd say either get a flock where every single bird is different, so no two have a likeness advantage, or get pairs or larger groups of the same, or all the same. Depending on personalities and luck, a lone chicken of a type can do well in a flock of others, but your chances for peace are higher if each chicken has at least one or more buddies of the same type and color.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Oh yeah chickens are totally racist! I have 3 different breeds and they absolutely segregate by breed (even within the same age group and hatch-mates). And even within the same breed, they show a preference for others of their own color. I guess the saying "birds of a feather flock together" must have come from somewhere! I'd say either get a flock where every single bird is different, so no two have a likeness advantage, or get pairs or larger groups of the same, or all the same. Depending on personalities and luck, a lone chicken of a type can do well in a flock of others, but your chances for peace are higher if each chicken has at least one or more buddies of the same type and color.

Okay, I'm glad I'm not crazy seeing this. We did the 2 pair idea, and the segregation was immediately obvious. I kept telling myself, "Well maybe they have similar interests?" Nope!

I'll either do 3 and 3, 6 of one type, or 6 singles.

 

[aart]

Don't bank too much on breed 'segregation'.

Space is the key factor.....lots of space in both coop and run.

 

[LaFleche]

she's a stew pot chicken

This exactly.

I doubt that her behaviour will stop as long as she has her victim around.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Don't bank too much on breed 'segregation'.

Space is the key factor.....lots of space in both coop and run.

We're going for 200 sqft with all the bells and whistles, plus another 200 sqft chicken yard. If it's a nightmare to navigate the inside, then we're hopefully doing it right!

 

[thecatumbrella]

This exactly.

I doubt that her behaviour will stop as long as she has her victim around.

Fingers crossed that the roosters straighten her out and Mushroom can integrate with some new friends in the meantime.

Of course, Pepper's the scrawniest Australorp of all time. Couldn't even make a sandwich out of her.

 

[mamajos]

Just a thought from my experience….I had 6 welsummers as a flock, and I got so tired of trying to stare at the comb differences to figure out who was who, or the subtle color differences or size differences, that I now get a different breed for each chicken so I can immediately know who is who. I could have put bands on the legs, but again, I would have had to get close enough to stare at the legs to figure out who was who. I like being able to at a glance see. And I have no problems with them all being different.

 

[lomine]

I've had a mixed flock from the beginning and have never noticed them grouping up by breed/color. I've found they tend to like to hang out with those they were raised with but eventually most integrate into the flock as a whole. The only ones that never really joined the flock were the silkies.