Please help!! Pecking order

[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

 

[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.

 

[Padfoot22]

I agree with others on a bigger space is needed. When integrating older flock with new it’s also good to split the run/coop at first so they can meet each other without hurting each other before putting them together - do that for a week or so. There will be fighting but should die down after just a few days.

 

[livesimplecolorado]

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.

I have an omelet coop as you have. I love it! I did get the 6ft run as well but took it down after a while. It was too small for my 6 girls. Instead, I put the coop in a larger run area instead. I don't move it anyway, so it's fine. You may consider doing something like that. I never have aggression issues that are more than simple pecks here or there. The size of my run is about 12 by 30, with lots of space to roam.

 

[Priscila Leone]

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

The space is crazy small for 9 hens, even if they only use it as sleeping quarters and free range all day. There is normally a lot of pecking that goes on at perching time.

 

[Imataken]

I have the omlet with the 6ft omlet run attached I have 5 hens the coop and run is attached to a 20 by 20 fully enclosed run everything was great for about 4 months then out of nowhere one of my hens became very aggressive was bullying 2 of my other hens really bad I tried everything boredom busters more free roam time they get about 2 hours a day on my 3 acres of property nothing worked I no longer have her it's been about a month now and my 4 girls are so much happier and I've had zero pecking problems since. I think she was just a very very mean girl

 

[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.

 

[Priscila Leone]

I have the omlet with the 6ft omlet run attached I have 5 hens the coop and run is attached to a 20 by 20 fully enclosed run everything was great for about 4 months then out of nowhere one of my hens became very aggressive was bullying 2 of my other hens really bad I tried everything boredom busters more free roam time they get about 2 hours a day on my 3 acres of property nothing worked I no longer have her it's been about a month now and my 4 girls are so much happier and I've had zero pecking problems since. I think she was just a very very mean girl

Yep, I did the same, I sold the 2 more aggressive and assertive and kept the more submissive. They are all very happy now. There's still a natural pecking order but no nastiness, everyone can eat and drink and lay eggs, no problem.