Pecking order.......or just bullying?

[ccat1]

I have 4 Copper Marans. 3 Black and 1 Blue.
One of the BlackCM has been laying for almost 2 weeks and was "boss" before, and now the BlueCM has started laying. The BlackCM pecks the "&@$^%#" out of the BlueCM whenever it is eating or seems to have caught a bug. She even nails her when she passes her in the pen.
The past 2 nights when the Blue comes up to roost in the roost of the chicken tractor, the black pecks her when she comes in, and seems to "have" to get in a few jabs before she gets up on the bar.
I am sure most/all of you with experience have seen this, but is it normal for a small flock like this to have a "bully?"
I even grabbed a spray bottle and nailed her myself with a stream of water when she pecked the BlueCM on the way up the ladder tonight.
I don't want the BlueCM to have a complex or have to bow down to the BlackCM.
Is there anything I can do to curtail this or just let nature take its' course?
Both, and all 4 of my hens for that matter are/seem very healthy and I don't see any effects from this "bullying", but I just hate to see it.
Thanks for any advice.
ccat1

 

[chickmomma03]

If you want to knock her down in the pecking order a little you can pick her up and carry her around under your arm making sure the others see. It helped my roo tame down when he was being a bit of a jerk, and we had to pull my cochin and do this yesterday because she pulled a chunk of feathers out of one of my younger pullets (yes, it ticks me off, but I think it's her trying to establish pecking order, I just don't like it). I see my higher order hens give a peck or 2 at the others when they get too close to food the hen wants or just gets too close and she decides she's going to let them know she's annoyed. I've seen my roo do the same, but normally he just shakes a leg and kind of charges in that direction and they scatter.

 

[aart]

It's just the pecking order, best not to interfere....
.......unless there's is serious blood drawn and/or someone gets pinned down and repeatedly beaten.

Pecking order can change, but it's always there, it's how they communicate their social status.
If you watch closely for a good amount of time, the pecked on bird might squawk and/or run away then goes about it's business with no ill effects. They accept their place in the order for the most part.

 

[donrae]

It's not bullying, it's normal chicken behavior. The fact is, in the animal world the subordinate animals do have to bow down to the dominant animal. that's the whole point of being dominant...you get choice of feed and water, sleeping place, and everyone else gets out of your way when you walk through the yard.

Hormones do get stirred up around point of lay, and pecking order can shift as one bird decides she's now dominant then has to follow-through with that. As long as you have enough space for the loser to run away and there's no blood, leave them to it.