Second hen bullying POL Pullets

[islandgirl82]

I've been keeping hens for several years now and started with 4 two week old pullets. By the time they were 1 1/2 years old I was down to a solitary hen due to a fox, so a neighbor gave me a wonderful roo and I acquired 2 more hens that were the same age as my hen. A predator made off with my roo and one of the new hens. For the next 2 years I had just the 2 hens; Mairah, an Easter Egger and Audrey Hepburn, a Silver Laced Wyandotte. Audrey is second hen in their pecking order...that was established after she tried attacking Mairah and my beloved and much missed roo, Nigel put her in her place when the new hens were first introduced.

In May, after upgrading coops and setting up a 12'x24' run, I got 3 ten week old pullets who are now about 20 weeks old; 2 more Easter Eggers and a Golden Spangled Hamburg. Introductions were made gradually; I kept the pullets in a smaller run alongside the big run until they were about 16 weeks old and then I put them all in together.

Audrey bullies the pullets whereas Mairah doesn't really seem to care one way or another. Audrey goes out of her way, no matter how many feed areas I give them, to chase the younger girls away from the feed or waterers and during the day she won't allow the younger girls in the coop at all. This doesn't seem to bother them except when it's pouring rain (which it is right now). They are nestled up together under the nesting box of the starter coop (which is currently occupied by 2 five and a half week old chicks; 1 roo and 1 pullet). The only time she doesn't bully them is when they have run of the whole yard (which doesn't happen as often as I'd like due to the neighbor's poorly trained and extremely mischievous dogs).

I spend as much time with them as I can and when I'm around, the pullets stay close to me...they know they won't be bullied and I'll be sure to let them in and out of the coop as they please but I'm not about to set up camp with them to keep the peace and I'm eager for my roo to grow up and take over these mediator duties. I also put Rescue Remedy in their water daily which seems to have helped some (now she just chases instead of cornering them and attacking).

Night time is a whole other issue. I built a ladder and roost but I'm now having to redesign the inside of the coop to add more roosting space because Audrey has decided to roost right at the top of the ladder and although the roosting bar is more than long enough to accommodate the whole flock (including the 2 chicks), she's preventing the pullets from accessing the vacant bar and each night when I close them up, I find that the pullets have crammed themselves, all three of them, into one nesting box.

I feel so bad for them and I don't want to have to get rid of Audrey as even at 3 1/2 years old, she's still a great layer (4-5 eggs per week from her). Any suggestions on getting her to settle down and accept that the younger girls are here to stay?

 

[chicmom]

That can be difficult. If you can work up a separate place for her to be for about two weeks, where she is by herself, then maybe when you let her back in, she would be looked at as a newbie, and she'll just be one of the gals, not the queen anymore. But, there's no guarantee.

 

[islandgirl82]

Thank you! I just went out there to play mediator again to get the pullets into the coop. They're soaked and miserable. While I was trying to round them up and inside, Audrey stood right in the doorway, preventing them from entering the coop. They made it in after several attempts and up onto the roost where they will stay until she decides to get up there.

I will definitely try separating her for a little while. She makes me worry about the 5 week old chicks too...They're all feathered out and if it weren't for her, I'd actually feel alright giving them more (supervised) contact with the rest of the flock. Just a few days ago, I had let all the big girls out to range and the two chicks used my skirt to hide under and would dart out and nibble on this or that and run right back under because she was circling me and watching them. I knew if I wasn't there, she would have a go at them and given they're so small, would likely kill them. I have a portable puppy pen I put the chicks in when the whole flock is out ranging and where Mairah and the pullets are curious and will approach them, chatter a little and then wander off, Audrey will stay close and circle the pen watching them intently the whole time.

 

[islandgirl82]

That can be difficult. If you can work up a separate place for her to be for about two weeks, where she is by herself, then maybe when you let her back in, she would be looked at as a newbie, and she'll just be one of the gals, not the queen anymore. But, there's no guarantee.

I just wanted to thank you again for your help. I didn't end up putting my Wyandotte in solitary because the starter coop I have to do so was occupied by the two young chicks. What I did do during that day it rained buckets and she refused to let the pullets into the coop was herd the pullets in and chase her out to let her enjoy the rain for a while (she had the exterior nesting box of the starter coop to hide under just as the pullets were doing when she was blocking their access to the coop). That seemed to be enough punishment to get her to calm down and gave the top hen, who has a much more tolerant disposition, time with the pullets and show that she can rule without an iron beak. She took to the younger girls quite nicely and I often see her with them instead of off with the Wyandotte but she absolutely rules them all.

I have a 12x24 ft run plus a 4x8 ft coop for them but I've been letting them out to have supervised free range time more often over the past few weeks (I work 2 jobs from home but I'm always leery of my neighbors unruly dogs coming over and wreaking havoc if I can't give my full attention to the flock) and I do notice a huge difference in all of their attitudes when they get to be out vs. when I have to leave them to the coop and run. I'm also seeing the pullets and the two older hens acting as one flock vs. two which is a beautiful sight to behold.

The two young chicks are now just over two month and they are in the run and/or free ranging with the rest of the flock during the days and will wander into the house to find me when it's bed time so I can put them up for the night. I have been pleasantly surprised at how well the two oldest girls (especially the Wyandotte) have taken to the chicks (one pullet and one cockerel). Their attitude towards the younger two makes me question whether I waited too long to introduce the 3 pullets without a barrier. If they'd been younger, do you think the Wyandotte would have taken to them as she has with the chicks because they would have been far less of a threat to her place in their hierarchy?

 

[Peeps61]

I think it will all eventually calm down, especially as your young pullets become more accustomed to being with the older hens. On a side note, I have noticed when new animals are introduced, it's the one who is lowest in the pecking order that is the meanest to the newbies. Here's an example: I own three horses. One is definitely the alpha male and it's pretty clear who is second and third in the pecking order. When I introduced a new horse to the herd (after a few days of "getting to know each other" through a fence), it was the lowest, NICEST horse in the pecking order that gave him pure hell until things settled down. The alpha male looked on with mild interest then resumed grazing. The second in the pecking order sniffed the new guy down and that was about it. The low man chased and bit for a pretty good while before giving it up. Peace reigned in the herd after about two days of this. I anticipate the same may happen with your birds, especially as the pullets get bigger and can stand their ground. They restablish the pecking order every so often, and it's nerve wracking while they do it .

 

[islandgirl82]

I think it will all eventually calm down, especially as your young pullets become more accustomed to being with the older hens. On a side note, I have noticed when new animals are introduced, it's the one who is lowest in the pecking order that is the meanest to the newbies. Here's an example: I own three horses. One is definitely the alpha male and it's pretty clear who is second and third in the pecking order. When I introduced a new horse to the herd (after a few days of "getting to know each other" through a fence), it was the lowest, NICEST horse in the pecking order that gave him pure hell until things settled down. The alpha male looked on with mild interest then resumed grazing. The second in the pecking order sniffed the new guy down and that was about it. The low man chased and bit for a pretty good while before giving it up. Peace reigned in the herd after about two days of this. I anticipate the same may happen with your birds, especially as the pullets get bigger and can stand their ground. They restablish the pecking order every so often, and it's nerve wracking while they do it .

Thank you. They've already calmed down tremendously. The pullets are ready to start laying any day and I can tell that the first to start is the matriarch of the 3 pullets. She has a much calmer disposition, much like the flock matriarch (I was so pleased to have the two sharing treats from my hand this morning) and isn't bothered at all by the 2 month olds. I also figured which one was the lowest in the trio based on their treatment of the chicks and placement on the roost. I have 2 roosting bars each 4' long and a ladder than can fit 2 hens per rung. The two hens get the top bar (obviously) the top pullet gets the 2nd bar to herself and the 2 other pullets share the top rung of the ladder. The chicks get bullied when they're confined to the run for too long by one pullet in particular but the other is a different breed altogether and I think that actually plays a role in her treatment of them. I've actually seen her chase off robins and grey catbirds so I think with her (she's a hamburg which is a breed that is less tame in general) it's an overall territorial issue and not just about hierarchy. She doesn't seem to want to welcome any creatures in...not just the chicks. I also know once my cockerel is mature, he'll put an end to all these shenanigans.

I know what you mean about the horses. I had a percheron mare/gelding driving team, a percheron/thoroughbred X (I'm pretty sure he was a pmu baby) 2 off the track thoroughbred mares and an Irish Draught Sport Horse colt along with a miniature donkey. The donkey ruled them ALL but next in line was the Perch mare. She got her counterpart to do all her bidding and in addition to getting him to break down the all our fencing CONSTANTLY, he would bully right on down the line until they would all gang up on the perch/thoroughbred (he was my favorite). We sold the perch mare and finally had peace...and lasting fencing. Oh...and the mini donkey still rules.

 

[Peeps61]

LOL! Animals are great aren't they? Constant entertainment. My husband says at least the chickens contribute. I told him the dogs did too - they keep the soil in the backyard turned!

 

[islandgirl82]

LOL! Animals are great aren't they? Constant entertainment. My husband says at least the chickens contribute. I told him the dogs did too - they keep the soil in the backyard turned!

HAHA! Who needs television!?

 

[Peeps61]

So true! I'd rather get comfortable and watch or work with my animals and family than sit and watch TV any day! If you observe your animals, you can see that they each have their own personality and are truly individuals. Less TV and more animals!