Advice for neighbour of a chicken keeper please

[ElleK 0]

Hey all, 3 week old newbie here 😊 I recently adopted 2 girls from a friend (we believe one is an Australorp and the other a New Hampshire Red), they’re 4 y/o. They’re in a Eglu Up with a 2m run.

Couple of questions:

1. Recently I’ve noticed one is pecking the other when I feed them to stop them getting to the food. This happens in the morning, if I give treats but also when I let them out in their closed off area. It’s almost like she is afraid of the other getting to something first so she’ll run her off wherever she is. Is this normal or do I need to do something? I’ve read about pecking order and possibly segregation but obviously I only have one coop! Sadly I didn’t notice it when we were allowed to let them into the garden and they’d happily walk around pecking the ground together.

 

2. They’re in an Eglu Go UP with a 2m run and a homemade dust bath of sand, obviously with bird flu going around they’re not allowed the run of the garden, I’m concerned about boredem but the run is too small for a perch or many toys that aren’t food related (I’ve ordered some pecking blocks to help with Q1 but hopefully this too). Has anyone else found this? I feel like it’s ample room when they can run around, but now they’re confined it feels like such a narrow space! 
 

Thanks all!

[Cat tails 936]

1) Keeping another hen away from food is to assert dominance, it is very normal. If you are worried the other hen isn’t getting enough, you could add another feeder.

2) you can easily add perches. I have 2 in my go Up run. They are just spare ends of wood. I made to slots in a perch on both ends, so they sort of clamp on to the run wire. But a large stick stuck through the run and a bit wire or cable ties do the trick just as well.

Apart from dustbathing, chickens are mostly interested in food. I have a pecky toy, which I use to give them their breakfast. It just takes them a bit longer.