Pecking Order Issue (training chickens) and Playing the Rooster roll.

Jason2676

Hatching
Dec 9, 2022
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This is my first time owning chickens. My wife and I own 4 health laying chickens, raised from chicks. We do not own a rooster. I was very surprised at how smart chickens are. It was enlightening. I built a coup and run. They free range from dawn to dusk.

When I feed them the two top chickens in the pecking order will run off the lowest one (Peck at her face). Even if I spread feed in multiple places wherever the lowest one goes one of the top two will move beside her (peck at a few bites) then run the lowest off. If she moves to a different spread area they will end up there to drive her away. Do I need to play rooster and drive them away from her??? I appreciate any advise on how to stop the behavior. Thank You.

Jason
 
Please allow me to introduce you to chicken psychology. The behavior you are observing is the opposite of what you think it is. It's actually the timid one that is driving the aggressive behavior of the others. It's very good you've noticed this as it can get much worse if not corrected. But it's the timid one that needs the training in order to short circuit the aggression.

Here is my article on chicken bullying and how to correct it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/ The training involves a safe enclosure, so I expect you'll need to figure out how to do that with a free-range set-up.

The principle behind this method is to encourage confidence building in the timid chicken. It can take a few days or up to three weeks. It works in every case I've used it, and others have had nearly 100% success also.

The goal is to see the timid one stand her ground with the others and not be driven off by them from the food. If left up to the chickens, the timid one will eventually starve.
 
Please allow me to introduce you to chicken psychology. The behavior you are observing is the opposite of what you think it is. It's actually the timid one that is driving the aggressive behavior of the others. It's very good you've noticed this as it can get much worse if not corrected. But it's the timid one that needs the training in order to short circuit the aggression.

Here is my article on chicken bullying and how to correct it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/ The training involves a safe enclosure, so I expect you'll need to figure out how to do that with a free-range set-up.

The principle behind this method is to encourage confidence building in the timid chicken. It can take a few days or up to three weeks. It works in every case I've used it, and others have had nearly 100% success also.

The goal is to see the timid one stand her ground with the others and not be driven off by them from the food. If left up to the chickens, the timid one will eventually starve.
good read and I like the sweater, very fashionable
 
Are you feeding them a limited amount at intervals instead of free feeding?

If so, is there a particular reason?

If you free feed them then the bottom bird will be able to ear when the top bird is done and busy with other things.

Also, the dominant bird's won't feel so much need to guard the scarce resource.
 

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