I have a small backyard flock of chickens who are all about 24 weeks old. There are 2 roosters and 6 hens. There were more roosters but I gave them away to try to determine whether I wanted my biggest Silverlaced Wyandotte rooster or my biggest Rhode Island Red one. Just this week my roosters have started fighting a lot so we will be getting rid of our silverlaced but our hens seem to be fighting too. I have 2 Rhode Island Red hens and 4 Silverlaced Wyandotte hens. The Rhodies get picked on terrible in the pecking order but have recently taken to following suit with their male counterpart and picking fights with the Silverlaced. I don't understand why the females would fight since their pecking order is already established?
One other thing that is bothering me as well is they have yet to lay eggs! I have an odd flock!
It's good that you're getting rid of a rooster, because they suggest 15 hens for every rooster. Anyway, your hens will continue pecking each other. They may have their order established but they need to remind each other of this order. The most dominant hen will always show the others that she's in charge so she won't lose her position as highest lol. You might need to interfere if they look like they're trying to kill each other (sometimes they will) but other than that, they should be fine. And as far as laying, most chickens won't lay during winter months, so maybe they 're just holding off til after.
2 roosters to 6 hens is 1 rooster too many. That may be the biggest cause of the fighting and may be an even bigger reason why the delay in laying.
To many hens and not enough rooster is the heart of all of your problems with your chickens.
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- PA
