Why does the flock start to pick on one chicken? Lowest chicken in the pecking order.

[puckpuck8]

How to protect your lowest hen on the pecking order from older hens?

I noticed the older hens are territorial in their roosting and feeding, protecting their stuff from the addition of new hens to the flock.

I had four original flock barred rock hens, now just two, have two middle barred rock hens and two new young hens - mixed, they both have subdued colors similar to the barred rocks. The new hens are about about 6 months old. The older hens are about 5 years old.
The newer hen is a little darker in color that is getting picked on the most. For awhile the new hens got chased & the usual peaking. Now the low hen on the totem pole is spending time in the nesting box while young friend comes around to check on her.

It has been close to 2 months the young hens were introduced to the flock. I don't know if the new hen is broody or just hiding from the older hens because of pecking or both. She runs right back to the nesting box after I take her to the food, she eats a little & dust bath, then when the older hens start pecking or chasing, she runs back to the nest box. I recently gave her a separate feeding dish. I am not always there to see if the older hens or she is totally eating her food.

There is plenty of room in the hen house, the dog kennel & the fenced in pen. Hoping the low hen pecking will subside soon. She does not eat much with the older hens chasing her. I stay with her so she can get some food and dust bath time before she goes hiding in the nest box. I have two nest boxes one inside the hen house & one in the dog kennel so the 6 hens have enough nest box to use. I made a separate feeding dish for her. I had to do that for the middle hens when they were introduced to the flock. One of the middle hens was pecked & chased by the older hens, now does the same thing to the new hen, the other middle hen rarely pecks at the new hen. You can see the two main hens circle around to peck at the new hen.

Bringing the hens into the coop at night didn't matter. It is during the day the hens chase the new comers. Tried treats for the flock to relieve boredom it's just short term. I know I am not the only chicken who is experiencing the pecking order problem.

Chickens and their pecking order is part of their culture for survival, we humans have similar stance of the pecking order. Like the typical schoolyard bully, who is a coward but bigger in stature over the smaller kid. I don't know how to stop the constant attacks. It's not her fault that she became the lowest on the pecking order.

Does this eventually end for the hen and the flock moves on? What can a chicken keeper do to comfort the hen?
Thanks for your help.

 

[DobieLover]

How to protect your lowest hen on the pecking order from older hens?

I noticed the older hens are territorial in their roosting and feeding, protecting their stuff from the addition of new hens to the flock.

I had four original flock barred rock hens, now just two, have two middle barred rock hens and two new young hens - mixed, they both have subdued colors similar to the barred rocks. The new hens are about about 6 months old. The older hens are about 5 years old.
The newer hen is a little darker in color that is getting picked on the most. For awhile the new hens got chased & the usual peaking. Now the low hen on the totem pole is spending time in the nesting box while young friend comes around to check on her.

It has been close to 2 months the young hens were introduced to the flock. I don't know if the new hen is broody or just hiding from the older hens because of pecking or both. She runs right back to the nesting box after I take her to the food, she eats a little & dust bath, then when the older hens start pecking or chasing, she runs back to the nest box. I recently gave her a separate feeding dish. I am not always there to see if the older hens or she is totally eating her food.

There is plenty of room in the hen house, the dog kennel & the fenced in pen. Hoping the low hen pecking will subside soon. She does not eat much with the older hens chasing her. I stay with her so she can get some food and dust bath time before she goes hiding in the nest box. I have two nest boxes one inside the hen house & one in the dog kennel so the 6 hens have enough nest box to use. I made a separate feeding dish for her. I had to do that for the middle hens when they were introduced to the flock. One of the middle hens was pecked & chased by the older hens, now does the same thing to the new hen, the other middle hen rarely pecks at the new hen. You can see the two main hens circle around to peck at the new hen.

Bringing the hens into the coop at night didn't matter. It is during the day the hens chase the new comers. Tried treats for the flock to relieve boredom it's just short term. I know I am not the only chicken who is experiencing the pecking order problem.

Chickens and their pecking order is part of their culture for survival, we humans have similar stance of the pecking order. Like the typical schoolyard bully, who is a coward but bigger in stature over the smaller kid. I don't know how to stop the constant attacks. It's not her fault that she became the lowest on the pecking order.

Does this eventually end for the hen and the flock moves on? What can a chicken keeper do to comfort the hen?
Thanks for your help.

Can you please post some pictures of your entire setup? And provide dimensions in ft x ft?
Also, what are you feeding, exactly?
Yes, you are absolutely correct. The pecking order is perfectly natural. Bullying, however, is not. If a pullet is being bullied to the point she will not leave the nest box, you have a problem that needs to be addressed.