What do I do about a chicken not letting all the others eat...

[chickenmomma518]

I have 12 chicken and I have an issue with one of my chickens pecking the others when they come in to feed... she is constantly doing this when I go into feed them, so I need some advice on what to do. Some other information I have on the "mean chicken" is that she is one of three of the oldest chickens I have, is it a dominance thing?

 

[bobbi-j]

Yes, it's a dominance thing. Does she constantly guard the feeder or does she eat her fill and then let them eat? You could try separating her for a week or so and reintroducing her, you could just let things be, watching your other chickens - I'm sure they get a chance to eat eventually - or, you could set up another feeding station far enough away from the first one that she can't guard them both at the same time. Or, you could get rid of the bully chicken.