Rhodebar being bullied and not laying, advice?

[ChickaBob]

Hi everyone!

This is my first post but i would live to thank everyone in here. I have been lurking for about a year from when i first got the idea of getting chickens all the way up until now with 23 week old chickens who just started laying.

All the advice i have have read has been priceless, so thanks!

Scenario,

1 columbian X, 2 black sex link and 1 rhodebar.

Columbian appears to be the top of the pecking order, 1 black sex link is second and for a while there it was a toss up between the rhodebar and the other sex link being the bottom but it appears to be the rhodebar.

The lowest black sex link is the one who is doing the bullying of the rhodebar. She pecks her when she goes near the food, she won't let her on the roost at night without pecking her, etc. The rhodebar isn't loosing feathers or bleeding, it does not appear to be to vicious, but it is constant. The rhodebar just steers clear of that one all day basically.

The strange thing is that the columbian sticks up for the rhodebar. If the bully is not letting her on the roost at night the columbian will peck the bully and let the rhodebar on the roost. Same in general near the food, she will peck the bully away if she is being an ass.

so 1) This leaves me to believe that the rhodebar is not sick. Although i am wondering why she isn't laying? Is 23 weeks normal not to lay for this breed?

They all free range in my back yard with lots of room and old growth, etc etc so being couped up shouldn't be the issue.

so 2) I think she is just a bully, but its strange that the second from the bottom is the bully to the bottom, is this normal??? I am thinking of isolating the bully for a week and seeing what happens, sound right?

and 3rd) My neighbour has a young rooster, it is not uncommon for both sides to jump the fence an intermingle for a bit although we try and make sure it doesn't happen. But if my little sweet rhodebar was humped by the rooster would that cause her not to lay????

I know that was a lot to unpack and probably pretty scatter brained but i appreciate any advice.

Thanks!!!!!

 

[sourland]

Make sure that the Rhodebar is getting enough to eat by providing another eating station. It's normal for the second from the bottom to want to maintain her dominance/position in the pecking order. Being mated by the neighbor's rooster will not cause her not to lay. She's just maturing more slowly than your other birds.

 

[ChickaBob]

Make sure that the Rhodebar is getting enough to eat by providing another eating station. It's normal for the second from the bottom to want to maintain her dominance/position in the pecking order. Being mated by the neighbor's rooster will not cause her not to lay. She's just maturing more slowly than your other birds.

So then do not isolate the "bully"? This is normal? Shes not a bully, she is just pretending she is important?

 

[3KillerBs]

but its strange that the second from the bottom is the bully to the bottom, is this normal???

This is 100% normal.

If the Rhodebar isn't laying yet that automatically makes her the bottom of the pecking order. But the "bully" is worried about protecting her position from the up-and-coming pullet so she's trying to keep her down.

Normal chicken social behavior.

Offering an additional feed and water station and plenty of "clutter" for the birds to get out of each others' way will help. The situation should resolve itself over the next month or so as the Rhodebar begins to lay and the pecking order sorts out.

 

[ChickaBob]

This is 100% normal.

If the Rhodebar isn't laying yet that automatically makes her the bottom of the pecking order. But the "bully" is worried about protecting her position from the up-and-coming pullet so she's trying to keep her down.

Normal chicken social behavior.

Offering an additional feed and water station and plenty of "clutter" for the birds to get out of each others' way will help. The situation should resolve itself over the next month or so as the Rhodebar begins to lay and the pecking order sorts out.

Thanks for all the help! makes me feel much better about the situation. I was afraid i was going to have to eat the bully