Pullet keeps fighting cockerel, advice needed

[aliciaFarmer]

Curious how many and for how long have you kept chickens?
Have you ever had this mix of ages?
Were all these birds raised from chicks together or were some added at different times?
Ever had multiple young males at the same time?

33 birds spanning 18-25 weeks including 2 males?
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet (with pics, please)?

Chicken society can be complicated, until you understand it.
The 2 young males are likely a big part of the problem,
I would remove them instead of the injured female...
....and get that broody and her chicks back in with the flock asap,
before she loses her broody mojo.

It's always good(essential, IMO) to have separate enclosures or crates to isolate problem birds.

First off, the girl is separated right now due to her injury -- she's in a 4'x5' dog kennel right now which isn't ideal, of course. As witnessed yesterday, keeping her with the rest of the flock wasn't safe as she was attacking one of the cocks and the other girls were chasing and pecking her.

Hopefully I can get all of your other questions answered efficiently...

I have had probaly 75 chickens on and off over the years. These are all within 3 months and a week in age -- I've had much wider range in ages successfully though in smaller numbers. I have raised 100% of my birds from 1 to 3 day old chicks. I have never had more than 2 males at once.

The chicken house is 10'x16' with an additional 3'x8' "loft" for lack of better explanation and the run is just over 1000sf.

The one went broody at 5 months so I got hatching eggs. She and the two babies are in the chicken house in a safe brooder. Integrating 2 week old babies isn't safe in my opinion so I'll be holding off of that a few more weeks. I let them out supervised but not permanently. They can all see each other and all is well there -- not an issue.

I have a separate place (the current duck house) that will be the eventual nursery and area for any potential injuries needs for separation but I didn't expect a five-month-old Broody hen so planned to complete that in January/February.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Possible, but extreme so not probable.
Those hens can really give young cockerels a rough time!

Actually, the person I got my cockerel from had given another one to a friend of hers she did not do a proper integration and the hens ended up killing the cockerel. He was about 4-5 months old. So, it is definitely possible.

 

[aart]

I have never had more than 2 males at once.

This may be the key....having multiple males can bring out the worst in all their behaviors.

Integrating the broody with her chicks is usually safer than integrating chicks that have no chicken mama to protect them. She'll be spunky and have to work her way back into the flock. They do need a safe shelter within the flocks area. I use a floor nest for them and sometimes a creep feeder area for the chicks. The smaller the chicks the less of a threat they are to the adult birds. I've started brooding and integrating young, much easier than integrating when chicks are older.

 

[Shadrach]

You say you have 33 chickens and a massive run.
How big is the run?
Does your aggressive hen have a rooster?
Some of the senior hens here will attack a young cockerel particularly when the cockerel is getting to the point of wanting to mate.
The senior hens are not interested in mating with a mere junior cockerel and warn him off if he so much as does the your my hen dance around them. Some are more aggressive in their warnings than others. Normally the very senior have seen it all before and just a quick hackle raise warns the cockerel off, particularly if the senior hens are the senior roosters favorites. The younger hens may not be the seniors favorites but still want to mate with him rather than the cockerel. Not being a favorite means the senior rooster won’t defend them so these tand to be more aggressive to cockerels.
In the end its about space. Here the cockerels just run away and cautiously follow the group at a safe distance. This is difficult to do even in a large run.

 

[aliciaFarmer]

This behavior Is also a part of cannibalism to show dominance or being a strong flock leader

Being an Avian behaviorist I will suggest u to separate them asap
Because they can kill

Increase A Bit Protein in their diet for few days for calm.them down

They have been totally separated since this went down several days ago. Yesterday I tried to reintegrate her and that didn't work out so they are separated again. I typically give them extra protein 2 or 3 days a week (eggs, peas, meat) but with everything that's been going on, it's been 3 or 4 days. I will definitely do that today, thank you!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

They've all been totally integrated and living mostly peacefully for just over two and a half months.

Probably just a battle to see who is top bird. Your girl wasn't separated long enough to forget about him so she went back after him. I misread initially thought the cockerel got the beating.

 

[aliciaFarmer]

Possible, but extreme so not probable.
Those hens can really give young cockerels a rough time!

Naaahhhh!! Unless birds are all starving, then maybe, but Naaahhh.

Those were my thoughts as well. They certainly aren't starving! They are spoiled, but not in a bad or irresponsible way. ♡

 

[aliciaFarmer]

This may be the key....having multiple males can bring out the worst in all their behaviors.

Integrating the broody with her chicks is usually safer than integrating chicks that have no chicken mama to protect them. She'll be spunky and have to work her way back into the flock. They do need a safe shelter within the flocks area. I use a floor nest for them and sometimes a creep feeder area for the chicks. The smaller the chicks the less of a threat they are to the adult birds. I've started brooding and integrating young, much easier than integrating when chicks are older.

The boys don't seem to be the issue, other than the one girl going after the one boy. Both cocks are super sweet and gentle with the ladies to date.

The babies have been totally fine and safe around everyone with Mama part time but I felt a little apprehensive about letting them out permanently until they are a couple weeks older because Mama gets a little flighty and wanders off. She was only 5 months old when she went broody and although she's a great chicken mama, she's not always the most attentive. Though I'm sure she knows what she's doing more than I do.

 

[aliciaFarmer]

Probably just a battle to see who is top bird. Your girl wasn't separated long enough to forget about him so she went back after him. I misread initially thought the cockerel got the beating.

How long do you think they should be kept separated? I figured after three days and two nights that might be enough but obviously I was totally wrong. Next time I reintegrate her, which I would rather do than rehome her, I think I'll do so at night.

 

[aliciaFarmer]

You say you have 33 chickens and a massive run.
How big is the run?
Does your aggressive hen have a rooster?
Some of the senior hens here will attack a young cockerel particularly when the cockerel is getting to the point of wanting to mate.
The senior hens are not interested in mating with a mere junior cockerel and warn him off if he so much as does the your my hen dance around them. Some are more aggressive in their warnings than others. Normally the very senior have seen it all before and just a quick hackle raise warns the cockerel off, particularly if the senior hens are the senior roosters favorites. The younger hens may not be the seniors favorites but still want to mate with him rather than the cockerel. Not being a favorite means the senior rooster won’t defend them so these tand to be more aggressive to cockerels.
In the end its about space. Here the cockerels just run away and cautiously follow the group at a safe distance. This is difficult to do even in a large run.

These two chickens in question are only a month a apart in age, and the biggest gap in the flock (not including the two new hatchlings) is 3 months. Makes sense though for sure.

The run is over 1000sf (which will be doubled in late winter or early spring) with occasional access to the duck's 800sf run and some of the olders free range. We have 7 acres, but the upper field area they stick to is probably 2 acres (though none venture too far). They have an additional small covered pen that's maybe 200sf.