Can Molting Affect The Pecking Order?

[mrdruids]

My 2 bantam brahmas have always been at the top of the pecking order but right beneath them it went snicklefritz - bantam dutch, fiddle faddle - leghorn, then poppycock - black star. fiddle faddle and poppycock are younger and were introduced to the brood late and were of course at the bottom for some time. Now snicklefritz is molting, she only has 1 tail feather left

and the other day she was challenging poppycock and to my surprise poppycock wasn't having any of that. Now since then poppycock has been asserting herself and keeping snicklefritz in line, is this change due to snicklefritz's molting or is it just coincidence?

oh and ever since i got my chickens i keep thinking of the beatles song "all my lovin" but lovin switched with "chickens" whats up with that

 

[justbugged]

Well I don't know, but I would think that it is very possible that molting can change the pecking order. It may be that some flocks will handle changes differently than other flocks too. So it may happen this time, but not the next time the hens molt.

 

[Happy Chooks]

It can change the pecking order temporarily. The hens that are molting just don't want to be messed with. They are grouchy, uncomfortable and just want to be left alone. But with my flock, when the feathers grow back in, the pecking order readjusts back to what it was prior.

 

[sourland]

Quote:
X 2 Molting changes appearance and attitude of the chickens. Some hens become more aggressive, most don't want to be messed with. The 'pecking order' is a fluid, ongoing, changing social structure with those on the bottom always wishing to improve their position.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
X 2 Molting changes appearance and attitude of the chickens. Some hens become more aggressive, most don't want to be messed with. The 'pecking order' is a fluid, ongoing, changing social structure with those on the bottom always wishing to improve their position.

And for the ones on the very bottom, when a newbie comes in - the opportunity to beat the crud outta them.

 

[mrdruids]

Quote:
X 2 Molting changes appearance and attitude of the chickens. Some hens become more aggressive, most don't want to be messed with. The 'pecking order' is a fluid, ongoing, changing social structure with those on the bottom always wishing to improve their position.

And for the ones on the very bottom, when a newbie comes in - the opportunity to beat the crud outta them.

yea when we brought fiddle faddle and poppycock home they got a whoopin for a few days, took even longer for them to be allowed to roost on the cool kids perch