4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Clare L]

We have had our first set of girls for a week now and our second set for only 3 days. They are generally OK with each other, except in the evening. The two older Gingernut Rangers are the top girls (second set to arrive) the other two are 16 week old Amber Lees.

 

There is the odd peck during the day, but no feather pulling or fighting, but come the evenings, the head girls have been pecking quite a lot at the younger girls and chasing them around and then last night they would not let one of the Amber Lees into the cube. They basically sat with their heads in the doorway and would peck poor Chicken Licken everytime she attempted to come in The other one was wise and sneeked in when one of the others came out of the cube and turned her back for moment - they were fine with that. In the end I had to shut up the door and hope that the girls moved and then catch the other one and put her in via the egg port. They were fine once they were in the cube.

 

Does anyone know why they fight more in the evening - I would have expected it in the morning, but 90% of the time in the day they are friendly to each other. Is all this normal behaviour?

 

I would be grateful to know if anyone has any ideas on what I can do about the blocking of the door and not letting them into the cube?

 

The evening fighting has just begun again and I am worried they will soon be thinking about blocking the door again....I have hung up some melon in the hope it would distract them for a while, but it does not seem to be working.

[Egluntyne]

Can you remove her in the late afternoon and then put her in the cube through the pop hole when the others have settled themselves down. You might have to do it for a few nights.

 

or you could borrow a dog crate or similar and isolate her for a few days so that she goes down in the pecking order, and then put her back.....she might get a taste of her own medicine.

[Clare L]

Thanks. The younger girls have been making sure that they go to bed just before the top girls, so it looks like they have sorted it out. They are all getting food and water, and now they are all getting to bed, I am not too worried and will just let them get on with it.