Please help!! Pecking order

[kennedy_humphrey_kennedy]

I cant tell of this is excessive when establishing the pecking order, it’s been the one hen attacking the other very aggressively for the vast majority. She won’t let her into the coop as well. They are similar in size but the one hen just keeps attacking her even though she’s clearly stronger. This is the amount of space they have right now. I also let them out to free range frequently but haven’t today due to the new hens.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree, I think that you need to sell some hens. It is easy to do, then build a bigger set up. Or get a second set up and put the new girls there.

This is chicken math, where more is always better, but so many times it is not better, but rather terrible for some bird or birds. Space is incredibly important. Your birds are telling you that you don't have enough.

If you want more birds - you need more space. If you like the set up you have, then you need to reduce the flock. These habits can be very difficult to stop once they get established.

Wishing they would all just be nice, won't work. Chickens can be really very mean.

Mrs K

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

How many birds do you have? How long have they been together?

What are the dimensions of your coop and run?

I'm afraid that your setup looks very small and that the subordinate hen has nowhere to go to show appropriate submission to her flock leader.

 

[rosemarythyme]

This may have started as a pecking order issue but if the dominant bird is not allowing the other to go into the coop, or preventing them from eating or drinking, it's a problem.

When they were free ranging did you have issues?

Can you fence off a larger area for them to use during the day? Doesn't have to be anything fancy if you're not concerned about predators, just something to keep them in an area.

I'm afraid that your setup looks very small and that the subordinate hen has nowhere to go to show appropriate submission to her flock leader.

Just to add to that, on average a submissive hen needs to get about 5-6' away from a bully/dominant bird to no longer be in their personal space.

 

[rosemarythyme]

There are 6 chickens that have been a flock for quite some time and we added 3 more and today was the first day of them being together. Also the hen that was attacking isn’t the flock leader which is why I am even more confused. The run is about 8x5

How long did you let the old ones see the new ones before letting them meet?

Your run is way too small for that number of birds. At minimum, for a well integrated flock, you'd want closer to 90 sq ft and you're at 40. Integration takes more space because birds need to be able to get away from each other, plus extra space is needed for adding clutter to provide hiding spots and distractions to help reduce pecking issues.

 

[3KillerBs]

There are 6 chickens that have been a flock for quite some time and we added 3 more and today was the first day of them being together. Also the hen that was attacking isn’t the flock leader which is why I am even more confused. The run is about 8x5

Here are some useful articles on integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-new-chickens-using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/adding-to-your-flock.47756/

I agree that your space is too small.

8x6 is only 40 square feet -- enough run for 4 chickens. Your original flock was probably OK because they'd been raised together but integration takes extra space above and beyond the 4 square feet in the coop and 10 square feet in the run.

Can you add to the size of the enclosure? You're going to want at least 90 square feet for 9 birds.

Also, it will be helpful to add "clutter" to the run so that chickens have a place to get out of sight of each other. Here's a helpful thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

It's often the low hen in the pecking order who bullies newcomers in hope of not being low hen anymore.

 

[McChooky]

There are 6 chickens that have been a flock for quite some time and we added 3 more and today was the first day of them being together. Also the hen that was attacking isn’t the flock leader which is why I am even more confused. The run is about 8x5

This coop is too small and explains why they started fighting when they got older.Adding more hens was a mistake.

 

[Iluveggers]

There are 6 chickens that have been a flock for quite some time and we added 3 more and today was the first day of them being together. Also the hen that was attacking isn’t the flock leader which is why I am even more confused. The run is about 8x5

Your hen that is attacking is trying to keep the new hens above her because she is low and wants to make sure she is above them. The flock leader is probably secure enough already.
You could:
Give them more space in a closed out area as someone suggested
Sit with them for a few hours during the day to let them mingle in your presence and prevent problems of blood is drawn
Let them sleep in a different place at night and integrate during the day only
Take out the old hens and pen them during the day, giving the new girls a chance to explore without being bothered, and adding one of the old hens at a time to monitor for problems
Most posters integrate with see/no touch for a few weeks before letting new birds mingle with old birds. I think that integrating in a small area is much more difficult.

 

[McChooky]

I raised 6 chicks together last April and they got along perfectly fine together until they got bigger.Fortunately I was already working on their extension to their run( they outgrew their run faster than I thought they would) I completed their extension a few days so later so none of mine were harmed but because you weren't aware you needed more room you went out and got more hens .Please rehome these new hens before any of them get hurt badly.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Your Omlet coop and run is actually 30.5 sq ft I'm afraid. It is 2 meters long, or 6 1/2 feet (78 inches), and is about 47 inches wide at the base. The Cube coop really can't do more than 6 full-size chickens, somewhat more bantams, though I have heard of some that have managed more. But I believe those are free-range situations mostly.

The very best place for reliable chicken advice from experienced chicken-keepers is here on BYC. But, you can get some advice and ideas specific to Omlet set-ups from other users in the Omlet Facebook group. See if this works:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/809...vy2crtZQap0T5W7lFojC62ZAWfK8Uk&__tn__=-UC,P-R

You should consider hardening your Omlet run with at least two feet of 1/2" hardware cloth all around (get black coated, so you can see in, I liked that best). Raccoons and weasels can easily reach in and grab I'm afraid. Weasels can actually get in. You may also want to consider certain latches or at least child-proof doorknob/stove covers for the Cube back and side doors. Omlet is based in England. Their coops and runs were designed with fox and hawks in mind. They do not have nearly the predators we do.

My advice is to get another Cube, or an Eglu Go, or some kind of coop and run for your 3 new hens if you want to keep them. That is what I would do if I added another group of that many. Physically and socially it will work out best. But that's just for the sleeping and laying coop. In any case you need to make way more space for your original 6 and for the new 3 wherever they end up, 30 sq ft is bare minimum for even 3 hens. The replies here about personal space, visual blocks and obstacles are valuable, with your hens' best interests at heart!

I have a small flock of 4 full-size hens (I had 5 with one added rescue), in a Cube MK2 and a 3.5-meter (11.75 ft) run. This opens into a 3x4 meter walk-in run that includes various kinds of clutter, logs, chairs, etc. In Summer I did move the Cube & run, and moved a smaller walk-in run occasionally, basically rotating the Cube around the walk-in run, opening different panels to the run and opened to (just in Summer) two moveable 10x13 ft greenhouse frames covered in strong knotted aviary netting. The complex was surrounded by moveable electric fencing. We have bear, fisher, coyote, weasel, raccoon, possum, large & small hawks, eagles here, plus the occasional loose domestic dog.