chicken cliques

[fc]

My coop and runs are sectioned into four separate areas. I opened up the fence to let the Plymouths free range, then about a month later let the Maran/Welsummer herd out to run around. I wondered how they would socialize..

At first one of the five Plymouth Rock hens defected to the other tribe, but she came back to 'Rooster Cogburn' in a couple of weeks. If the Maran or Welsummer roosters got close to Cogburn he attacked them. The Maran rooster is sort of a loner since both roosters run him off. Well, their communities have settled down. All the Plymouths are together, and wander off to their happy hunting grounds, and the others go off in the other direction. One of my Spanish 6 week old hens is a Houdini, and keeps getting out of the pen and getting in with the older crowd- the Plymouth Rocks.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I have some pullets who think they know where they wanna stay too. Sometimes they win, and I let them stay where they want

 

[BooBear]

Mine clique with the ones they grew up with as chicks. However, they do intermingle at times, but, then regroup.