Very aggressive Sapphire OE attacking my BLP

[rosemarythyme]

Yes, they free range in my yard about 1-2 hours on week days and 4-6 hours on the weekend
Here is a coop picture (sorry for the quality its a very bad panorama, also ignore my chicken who shows up twice lol):
View attachment 2449657
This box on the left is an egg laying box; the door in the middle is a roosting area where they sleep, and the rest is space for them to hang out

Space is likely a contributing factor then. 1-2 hours a day is not enough to make up for the fact that they don't have enough space to get away from each other for rest of the day.

The run is also narrow which makes it even harder for birds to avoid "offending" each other.

Do you have space to expand or add on to the run?

 

[Silviaschicks]

Yes, I have some space near the fence it's about 4 feet wide and I can make it as tall as I want, I'm going to start building it during the weekend. I'm wondering if this could be happening because Pearl doesn't get enough protein, because this happened after she started laying?

 

[aart]

I'm wondering if this could be happening because Pearl doesn't get enough protein, because this happened after she started laying?

Not likely because of lack of protein, but because the new hormones flowing can change the pecking order.

 

[LaFleche]

Yes, I have some space near the fence it's about 4 feet wide and I can make it as tall as I want, I'm going to start building it during the weekend. I'm wondering if this could be happening because Pearl doesn't get enough protein, because this happened after she started laying?

The run does not have to be very tall, the width is more important to avoid getting into each others faces.

You could try to up her protein intake and see if it stops.

 

[Silviaschicks]

You could try to up her protein intake and see if it stops.

I'm currently doing that, and I'm also keeping her separated from my other girls

 

[rosemarythyme]

The run does not have to be very tall, the width is more important to avoid getting into each others faces.

x2. Tall is more for your convenience but if time/budget/materials don't allow for a walk in add on, even a shorter bump out on the existing run can help, as it still increases the amount of space they have to use.

 

[McBriec]

Great decision to separate the aggressor.

I just love my Polish girls who surprisingly are on the upper end of the pecking order. They make me laugh every day just watching their bobbing pompadours. I think Polish stands for personality. They are just inherently comical.

 

[Silviaschicks]

Great decision to separate the aggressor.

I just love my Polish girls who surprisingly are on the upper end of the pecking order. They make me laugh every day just watching their bobbing pompadours. I think Polish stands for personality. They are just inherently comical.

Lol Soufflé is definitely my favorite bird to watch, always making funny faces and looking at me, and watching her crest bob as she pecks is so cute

 

[Silviaschicks]

Update:
They don't have a bigger run yet, but after they lay I have a big cage I move around my lawn. They enjoy pecking in the grass and because Pearl has something to do she doesn't peck Soufflé. They pull up all my dead grass too, so it's a win-win. I put some of the grass in their coop and they love burrowing in it.