Sister rivalry

[Serendipity]

I have 2 bonded sisters that are 4 years old. Esther has always been the dominate one. I have got 2 four week girls and introduced them slowly and all seemed fine. Now Esther is bullying her sister and has taken control over the little ones. She has nipped her sister and taken some fur off her. She doesn't like her around the little ones. Any advice would be fantastic. I'm even thinking of getting a separate cage so I can split them up.

 

[VickiA]

Nipping is a sign of dominance. The arrival of the new girls has spooked Esther and she is feeling the need to reassert her dominance as top pig. Please read the guides I will link. There is no need to separate at present unless things escalate.

How big is their enclosure? Do all hides have 2 exits? Are there multiple areas for hay and food?

Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Bonds In Trouble

 

[Serendipity]

Thank you for your advice. I have a large 2 story hutch but it only has 1 exit. Water bottles at different ends and when I feed them I put the food in 2 desperate areas outside as I have a large covered run attached to the hutch.As I'm a bit concerned that Rose is being bullied by Esther and is turfed out at night I have put in the run a place where she can hide and be safe at night. It's strange but all the years I have introduced new piggies to my herd, I have never had this problem before.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you for your advice. I have a large 2 story hutch but it only has 1 exit. Water bottles at different ends and when I feed them I put the food in 2 desperate areas outside as I have a large covered run attached to the hutch.As I'm a bit concerned that Rose is being bullied by Esther and is turfed out at night I have put in the run a place where she can hide and be safe at night. It's strange but all the years I have introduced new piggies to my herd, I have never had this problem before.

How big is the hutch on the single bottom level?
The top level of a two storey hutch does not count and cannot be added towards the cage size/total floor space. For four piggies you ideally need a 210x60cm (7ft) but 180x60cm (6ft) as a minimum.
There should be enough hides in the hutch itself for the number of piggies - so you need four two exit hides in the hutch.
You say a covered run. Is it fully secure? A standard run attached to a hutch can’t count as living space unless it is in a shed/fully insulated/fully secure/fully weather proof etc because piggies should be locked inside a secure hutch at night and when unsupervised.

A bond comes down to character compatibility and not all piggies are going to get on.
However, what you have described does sound like dominance. Bullying is often sustained behaviours (although sows can be more subtle about it than boars) - constantly chasing, not letting the bullied piggy rest or eat, the bullied piggy then loses weight through not being allowed to eat enough etc.