I have a problem with a chicken. We got her from a neighbor along with a coop/run that fits 8 chickens so decided to start a flock. She’s about 2 years old. Her only companion died two weeks before she moved to our place and they both were so sweet to each other. She even cuddled and comforted her sister as she died which is weird for a chicken.
Fast forward, we have two groups of pullets raised from chicks. We integrated the three 8 week olds (now 13 weeks old) with the 2 year old and all seemed to go well and be pretty normal pecking order behavior. She lived alone for about 2 months before this.
We have 2 other pullets currently 10 weeks old that have been living in a small coop/run for a few weeks inside the big run that we built for them around both coops.
We just started integrating those two pullets face to face over the last week just a little bit at time during free ranging or supervised time in the run. All the sudden the 2 year old has turned into a bully. Chasing and chasing all the others, tormenting them. And now chasing the 3 older pullets out of the coop at night EVERY night and keeping guard at the door so they can’t go in. The other two are still sleeping in the small coop. They get chased and bullied by both the 2 year old and the leader of the 3 so I don’t feel comfortable with them alone yet.
So I did an experiment yesterday and kept the two-year-old locked away in the larger coop/run and let the other five room free through the run and then free range without her. They all got along so great. Way better than when the two-year-old is among them. The lead hen of the 3 older ones hardly bothered the little ones. Just normal pecking here and there.
My question is, what should I do? I have a feeling since the 2 year old didn’t have a flock anymore, and now all these young chickens are living with her, that maybe she’s overwhelmed and really trying to establish her place? Or she’s just annoyed by all the teenagers haha. I don’t know. Does this get better when they all start laying all on its own?
I was thinking my only two options are either integrate all the 5 younger ones together and let them sleep in the larger coop together, and then put the two year-old in what some people suggest ‘chicken jail’ by putting her in the small coop for some days to see if that helps or get her those pinless peepers? I was hoping it would get better on its own but it’s been a week and I just feel so bad for these other chickens. Feathers everywhere. Being bullied out of their bed. I know it’s a unique situation. Any suggestions would be very helpful
Fast forward, we have two groups of pullets raised from chicks. We integrated the three 8 week olds (now 13 weeks old) with the 2 year old and all seemed to go well and be pretty normal pecking order behavior. She lived alone for about 2 months before this.
We have 2 other pullets currently 10 weeks old that have been living in a small coop/run for a few weeks inside the big run that we built for them around both coops.
We just started integrating those two pullets face to face over the last week just a little bit at time during free ranging or supervised time in the run. All the sudden the 2 year old has turned into a bully. Chasing and chasing all the others, tormenting them. And now chasing the 3 older pullets out of the coop at night EVERY night and keeping guard at the door so they can’t go in. The other two are still sleeping in the small coop. They get chased and bullied by both the 2 year old and the leader of the 3 so I don’t feel comfortable with them alone yet.
So I did an experiment yesterday and kept the two-year-old locked away in the larger coop/run and let the other five room free through the run and then free range without her. They all got along so great. Way better than when the two-year-old is among them. The lead hen of the 3 older ones hardly bothered the little ones. Just normal pecking here and there.
My question is, what should I do? I have a feeling since the 2 year old didn’t have a flock anymore, and now all these young chickens are living with her, that maybe she’s overwhelmed and really trying to establish her place? Or she’s just annoyed by all the teenagers haha. I don’t know. Does this get better when they all start laying all on its own?
I was thinking my only two options are either integrate all the 5 younger ones together and let them sleep in the larger coop together, and then put the two year-old in what some people suggest ‘chicken jail’ by putting her in the small coop for some days to see if that helps or get her those pinless peepers? I was hoping it would get better on its own but it’s been a week and I just feel so bad for these other chickens. Feathers everywhere. Being bullied out of their bed. I know it’s a unique situation. Any suggestions would be very helpful
