Roost Behavior

[Harley Chick]

I have 3 12 week old chicks that are now roosting with the big girls. My husband built a new roosting bar to utilize as much space as possible. We have 5 1 yr old hens and the one lowest in the pecking order has been brutal to the chicks at night while all is trying to settle down. Last night I found two sleeping in a nest box while the third was huddled alone in the corner. The chicken doing all the picking is really a loner because she was a late comer to the older group. Her "buddy" died at Thanksgiving so she's kinda a loner for the most part. I was hoping she would have attached herself to the younger girls but it's not working out that way.....any suggestions?

Sorry for the yucky looking poop bar, these were taken right before I cleaned it

 

[rosemarythyme]

The lowest ranked adults are usually the worst in terms of picking on chicks, maybe because they don't want to end up being even lower ranked than the chicks. Maybe try putting in a temporary "wall" on the roost out of cardboard or plywood, hens on one side, chicks on the other?

 

[Criticalicious]

I have this same problem with the lowest ranking hen. I had to give the babies their own perch out of reach from the adults, just for sleeping.

 

[SueT]

Maybe try putting in a temporary "wall" on the roost out of cardboard or plywood,

Yes, roost dividers! They work wonders. The chickens get it right away, and appreciate the privacy.

 

[aart]

The lowest ranked adults are usually the worst in terms of picking on chicks, maybe because they don't want to end up being even lower ranked than the chicks. Maybe try putting in a temporary "wall" on the roost out of cardboard or plywood, hens on one side, chicks on the other?

...or there is finally someone lower to beat on, that's my theory

Agree that a divider may help.

 

[Harley Chick]

The lowest ranked adults are usually the worst in terms of picking on chicks, maybe because they don't want to end up being even lower ranked than the chicks. Maybe try putting in a temporary "wall" on the roost out of cardboard or plywood, hens on one side, chicks on the other?

that makes perfect sense!!!! thank you, i'll try to put something together tonight and see how that goes. Funny thing is she's the only one that will go out of her way to pick on them as they start to roost. Last night, she was in a different spot and the chicken at the end just ignored them.

 

[Criticalicious]

I keep telling Ivy (the lowest ranked hen) she will be sorry when those chicks get bigger and decide to challenge her. Three of them are roosters!

 

[Henriettamom919]

I keep telling Ivy (the lowest ranked hen) she will be sorry when those chicks get bigger and decide to challenge her. Three of them are roosters!

I'm having a similar issue. I have three nearing a year and four 8-10 week old pullets (all but one is ten weeks. This is what happens when you let a fifteen year old box your chicks at the co-op while your back is turned . We call the youngest Tiny Peep )

My sweetest big girl is the low lady of the pecking order and super jealous of my attention. I've been trying some supervised foraging and she always cuts loose and ends up chasing the littles. We ended up giving the littles their own fenced in garden space with our very first prefab coop as a temp house. The separation seems to be helping. The big girls will graze on the other side of the fence with the littles sharing the same overgrown greens.

Lord help me when we integrate to one big coop I'm sure I'll be putting up dividers, too.

The good news is this too shall pass and your loner will probably buddy up again when the babies start laying (so I've been told...Here's hoping!)