Pecking order or bullying ?

[hunthrail]

Small backyard flock of 6 pullets (ages 16-13 weeks). 3 Orpingtons , 2 EEs , and 1 blue plymouth rock.

Our newest EE was transitioned into the flock over the last week . Once she was let out of solitary confinement, out youngest orp and BPR immediately started targeting her, this went out for about 2 days before I put them in jail. (I hoped they would just figure it out on their own without intervention)

Well today was their release day, and in less then 4 mins they were chasing the EE again, and at one point pinned her in a corner,pulling feathers and pecking . The BPR will go off and do other stuff. But the orp is very set on the torment. Once the orp starts the BPR joins.

The head pullet(older orp) doesnt mind the EE at all, she gives an occasional peck to show she's boss, but nothing like what they are doing.

What can I do? The offenders are back in jail, but I'm to a point where I'm not opposed to rehoming them. The EE is very friendly and sweet, while both of them are very flighty, so I have no real attachment. I was hoping with age I'd get to bond with them, but if I cannot fix this issue, they have to leave.

Boss lady

Criminal BPR

Criminal Orp

Victim EE

 

[aart]

Our newest EE was transitioned into the flock over the last week .

How exactly did you introduce?
Pics of the solitary and main coop/run would help here.
One week isn't long.
Single additions are the hardest.

 

[hunthrail]

How exactly did you introduce?
Pics of the solitary and main coop/run would help here.
One week isn't long.
Single additions are the hardest.

We had a dog kennel set up in our covered run. Our covered run is 76 sq ft. And our outdoor run is 100 sq ft. They have access to the outdoor run all day, and are only limited to the covered run if it's storming or if we will be gone into the evening . I will say the orp had no issue with the EE in the outdoor space at all .We have 3 waterers and 2 food bowls out. The water is together, the food is spaced out . We have different hiding spaces available (mini palette, stools, logs). There are also 3 roosting bars available in the covered run, plus 2 in the coop. This is a older picture, but the coop is now raised up about 2ft to allow for that space to be used

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I think part of your problem is pent up aggression. That coop is too small for 6 birds.

 

[hunthrail]

It's what we already had available. They're also only in it while they sleep, they don't go in throughout the day. Until the one we ordered arrives, it's what we have to work with

 

[hunthrail]

I think part of your problem is pent up aggression. That coop is too small for 6 birds.

That coop is also marketed for up to 6. We used it previously for 4

 

[ChickyCh00k]

That coop is also marketed for up to 6. We used it previously for 4

Unfortunately, the companies that manufacture/market prefab coops are big fat liars - they go by the standards set for production housing, and it's fairly inhumane (1-2 sq.ft/bird; sometimes even less). Typically, you can expect to comfortably house 1/2 as many birds in a prefab coop as what the manufacturer claims. In order to avoid bullying (and other issues) it is recommended to have a minimum of 3-4sq.ft per bird in the coop (10 sq.ft per bird in the run). Many people get away with less, but it is a good rule of thumb.

When I started chicken-keeping, I bought one of the "better quality" prefab coops (and I still had to make massive modifications). The manufacturer claimed it could house 15 chickens ! I had 8 in it, and there's NO WAY I could have attempted to integrate a single new bird into that coop. The original 8 did fine in it and had plenty of room for roosting and laying eggs (which is the only time they were in there), but I had to build a new coop when I decided to get more chickens.