Topic of the Week - Chicken Behaviour and Flock Dynamics Part 2 - Bullying Behaviour

[Doodlemom63]

I have a small flock, 9 hens and 1 roo. Only 1 hen is laying so far (still young), and they all get along great during the day... That being said, at night it is hell for my Orpington. No one wants to roost next to her, and one of my hens doesn't let anyone roost next to her unless it is 2 specific hens (her besties I guess?). But if any other hen is next to her, she goes for their feet and pecks at them until they move or get down, leaving her a good 3 - 4 feet of space to herself while the others crowd! I go in at night while they are settling and have to place the Orpington somewhere on the roost... Is this normal? The culprit is for sure the top hen as well.

Oh Lordy I’m following

 

[BDutch]

I have a small flock, 9 hens and 1 roo. Only 1 hen is laying so far (still young), and they all get along great during the day... That being said, at night it is hell for my Orpington. No one wants to roost next to her, and one of my hens doesn't let anyone roost next to her unless it is 2 specific hens (her besties I guess?). But if any other hen is next to her, she goes for their feet and pecks at them until they move or get down, leaving her a good 3 - 4 feet of space to herself while the others crowd! I go in at night while they are settling and have to place the Orpington somewhere on the roost... Is this normal? The culprit is for sure the top hen as well.

Intolerant behaviour at roost time happens more often. Can you add another roost and some-kind of a divider so some of the chickens don’t see each other? This might help. Or add another coop?

I had a young hen that had been harassed at roost time. She started to sleep alone in a tiny coop away from the others. Problem solved.
I had more periods with bullying behaviour.
Now I have two 1m2 (10sqft) coops for my bantams. They can all choose where they sleep. Most nights these coops are both occupied with 4 hens.