Separated Faverolles from the others

[MaPoule5]

Hi there,

Well my chickens are about 3 months old now and in the coop-- black copper marans, blue and splash orpingtons and faverolles. The faverolles are being picked on, unfortunately. One was found between the egg laying box and the wall of the coop - just wedged inside. I separated the 3 favs which are in the garage from the rest in the chickens which are in the coop outside.

Today, I mingled the favs with the others, but they were still picked on. They were all purchased at the same time from the same breeder.

What can I do? I have a friend who wants egg laying hens, so I'm thinking about giving his family the majority of the black copper marans and 2 of 3 orpingtons. So I'll keep the 3 favs, 1 black copper marans and 1 blue orpington.

Any other suggestions? Or is picking on chickens just normal chicken behavior? That chick that was wedged between the box and the wall seemed strange to me.

 

[Kelsie2290]

How much room do you have in the coop, how many chickens total? Do you know which of the chickens is doing the bullying? Can you keep the Favs in the coop but separated from the others, so they can see and socialize with each other but not get picked on, if you separate them too far, after a day or two it is like trying to introduce new chickens again. Chickens have a pecking order, and it is normal for them to be some readjusting as they grow, some breeds are more likely to be picked on than others, but Favs usually aren't that much of a target, maybe you just have some mean girls. The one chick may have been trying to hide, or just fell in the space and not been able to get back out, not unusual.

 

[MaPoule5]

Alright, I've separated the favs from the others. There's 1 mean blue orpington that is pecking the neck and back feathers of a faverolle that is smaller than the other favs. I'll see if that helps. If not, worse case scenario, I have a friend who wants egg laying hens, so I'll give their family the chickens that are a bit more aggressive.

Thank you for the reply

 

[keesmom]

Faverolles can be bullied in mixed flocks. You could put the mean one in chicken jail for a few days to see if she adjusts her attitude. It may, it may not.