Younger pullet picking on slightly older one? Help please!

[Clairedazzle]

I just got a cuckoo maran and an Ameraucana a couple days ago. They are from two different places. They are both young and haven't started laying yet, but the maran is younger than the Ameraucana. The Ameraucana is very sweet and somewhat tame, I already adore her. The problem is the maran is picking on the Ameraucana and not letting her eat. Every time she tries the maran pecks her away.

I put another food bowl at the other end of the run for the Ameraucana. Today I was changing out the food in the coop and the Ameraucana was standing at the doorway and every time she would try to come in the maran would peck at her and then she was scared to go inside. I am going to check to make sure she gets in the coop tonight when it gets dark. I am just worried the maran is going to be too mean. What should I do? Any suggestions?

 

[Clairedazzle]

also these are the only two chickens I have...no flock

 

[PtldChick]

Get a few more chickens.

But seriously, they will occupy the Marans' attention.

You could remove the Marans and leave the other one in the coop, then put the Marans back in a week and see if that changes the pecking order, since the Marans will now be 'new'. Don't know if that will work with only two birds, though. Time for chicken math to kick in!

 

[Clairedazzle]

I don't really have another place to put the maran for a week. Today I have noticed the Ameraucana sticking up for itself and doing this funny flying charge thing at the maran. Hopefully the maran will learn its place, haha.