Two momma hens, one is a bully

[Asaria1]

Hello. I have two momma hens, Lightbulb with 5 four-week old babies and PomPom with 2 two-week old babies. PomPom is a bully. She chases and pecks at Lightbulb and her babies whenever she “thinks” they are getting too close (i dont think they are too close at all). Sometimes she even gets some feathers. Wherever PomPom is, everyone else is NOT. No one will even eat if PomPom is in the way. Everyone else gets along great. Lightbulb is showing no aggression towards Pompom’s babies, nor is she trying to fight over them. The 4 week olds and the 2 week olds all get along great when PomPom is distracted and they get the opportunity to mingle. Honestly, it seems it would be one big happy family if Pompom were out of the picture. But with her there, the energy is very tense and unpleasant. The nine of them are in a 160sqft run, with a 25sqft coop. I normally let my chickens range the whole yard, but the babies are so little and we have so many crows, i wanna keep em in their run until they are a little bit bigger.
Is this normal pecking order behavior? Or do i have a bully? Should this stop when Pompom’s babies are older? Should I isolate Pompom from the flock? But what about her babies?
Thanks for any help!

 

[MarkJr]

My broody has a 6’ rule. She needs 6’ all the way around her and the next 6’ in the direction she is moving is a war zone. 12’ away is fairly safe..... but across the yard is better.

For what it’s worth, my broody free ranges all day. Brought her chicks out on day two and every day after.

 

[aart]

Should I isolate Pompom from the flock? But what about her babies?

This would be an interesting experiment.....the other broody might adopt the 2 chicks.

 

[Asaria1]

My broody has a 6’ rule. She needs 6’ all the way around her and the next 6’ in the direction she is moving is a war zone. 12’ away is fairly safe..... but across the yard is better.

For what it’s worth, my broody free ranges all day. Brought her chicks out on day two and every day after.

My broody has a 6’ rule. She needs 6’ all the way around her and the next 6’ in the direction she is moving is a war zone. 12’ away is fairly safe..... but across the yard is better.

For what it’s worth, my broody free ranges all day. Brought her chicks out on day two and every day after.

6 feet? Not inches right?
Do you have a lot of crows? If so, i will let them out. Im just so worried because we have A LOT of crows, and the littles are so vulnerable!! The crows literally hang out on the tree in my neighbors yard, with full view of my lawn. I noticed they perch up on that tree more often the few times i let the babies range the whole yard. But if space will stop the bullying, i would rather let them out. A little peace of mind: i did drape my whole backyard with bird netting. There are some “holes” here and there, and if the predators REALLY WANTED to get thru they could, but it IS some sort of barrier that might give the babies a fighting chance???