By Maile Matsimela
While it’s a natural chicken behaviour for the girls in your laying house to be mean to each other, there are ways you, as a farmer, can manage these situations effectively.
Aggressive hens create a stressful environment for the bullied ones, causing a reduction in egg production, which affects your profits.
The pecking order in chickens is a natural dominance hierarchy that was first scientifically described by Norwegian zoologist and comparative psychologist Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe in 1922. He found that chickens establish their social ranks through body language, displays and occasional pecking to determine access to essential resources like food, water, roosts and nesting spots.
Stress in chickens can be caused by several factors, including loss of a flock member, introduction of new birds, changes in feed, and predators or rodent disturbances.
Here’s what expert advice suggests for effectively managing this hierarchy:
Space management
Provide adequate space. Each hen needs at least 4 square feet inside the coop plus about 8 square feet in the outdoor run (Meyer Hatchery, 2025). Secondly, avoid overcrowding at all costs as Dine A Chook (2025) notes that overcrowding is a primary trigger for aggressive pecking behaviours.
Furthermore, research from WPSA-AECA (2023) advises farmers to practice group size management by subdividing large flocks into smaller groups. For example, 6 000 hens per subgroup can limit the spread of aggression.
Resource access
Make sure to have multiple feeding stations by providing several feeders spread throughout the space to reduce competition. Aim for one feeder per 10 birds Randy’s Chicken Blog, 2025).
Also make sure there are multiple water stations to prevent dominant birds from blocking access.
Ensure at least one foot of roost space per bird to reduce nighttime conflicts (Randy’s Chicken Blog, 2025).
The nest:box ratio should also be taken into consideration by providing one nest box per 4 hens to minimise competition during egg-laying (Randy’s Chicken Blog, 2025).
Introducing new birds
New birds need gradual integration, so it is better to separate new arrivals behind chicken wire for about two weeks before full mixing, allowing visual but not physical interaction (Grubbly Farms, 2025).
Regarding timing considerations, Meyer Hatchery (2025) suggests adding new birds at night when established hens are less aggressive.
Lastly, introduce multiple new birds together rather than singles to distribute any pecking behaviour (Dine A Chook, 2025).
Handling problem behaviour
Isolate bullies temporarily by removing extremely aggressive hens briefly to disrupt dominance relationships (Randy’s Chicken Blog, 2025).
Furthermore, Fat Chance Soap (2025) recommends removing severely bullied birds until they recover, and then reintroducing them carefully.
Grubbly Farms adds that death or removal of birds causes rank reshuffling. Make sure to observe your chickens closely during these periods.
Environmental enrichment
Hendrix Genetics (2023) recommends providing hay, alfalfa or grain hulls to satisfy natural pecking instincts.
The use of distraction devices, such as hanging toys, plastic bottles or CDs, can divert attention from flock mates (Fat Chance Soap, 2025).
Create separate areas for resting, dust bathing, feeding and nesting to reduce stress and competition (Hendrix Genetics, 2023).
Lighting and housing design
Use dim lights to calm birds and use red-spectrum lighting to minimise aggression (Lohmann Breeders, 2023).
Keep nest boxes darker to prevent vent pecking during egg-laying (Hendrix Genetics, 2023).
Meyer Hatchery recommends providing partitions, perches at different heights or hiding spots for subordinate hens.
Nutritional management
Ensure feed meets protein and energy needs (275-310 kcal/bird/day depending on production phase) to prevent nutritional deficiency aggression (Hy-Line, 2022).
Also offer oyster shell free-choice to prevent deficiencies linked to egg-eating or cannibalism (Fat Chance Soap, 2025).
Breed selection considerations
Research comparing conventional layer hybrids with dual-purpose breeds found that dual-purpose hens exhibited consistently lower injurious pecking throughout their laying period (Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2021).
Evidence-based results
A study investigating stable versus unstable groups of laying hens found socially stable groups exhibited fewer aggressive interactions and higher egg production compared to unstable groups. This research concluded that maintaining a stable pecking order reduces social stress and improves productivity in laying hens (Carvalho, as cited in BIB.PUCMINAS.BR, 2021).
By implementing these evidence-based strategies, you can help maintain a peaceful laying hen house where all chickens thrive within their natural social structure while minimising harmful behaviour and maximising welfare and productivity.
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