4 month old pullets: are they already in a pecking order

[dollytheroo]

i have three 4 month old pullets that i raised from baby chics.
i want to introduce 2 more pullets around the same age.
will they already reject the new ones?
thanks

 

[Fred's Hens]

Absolutely. The pecking order forms among brooder mates. Follow the normal integration procedures and they'll work it out.

 

[sourland]

They won't 'reject' them but there will be pecking, squabbling and attempts to prove dominance.

 

[normanack]

Absolutely.  The pecking order forms among brooder mates.  Follow the normal integration procedures and they'll work it out.

Oh man, it's just like high school. My chickens absolutely split along the lines of which brooder they were in. I can't always distinguish pecking order within broodmates. Am I simply missing the subtleties, or could they be sharing rank?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Oh man, it's just like high school. My chickens absolutely split along the lines of which brooder they were in. I can't always distinguish pecking order within broodmates. Am I simply missing the subtleties, or could they be sharing rank?

Brooder mates sleep in a pile for six weeks, in a relatively small space. The know each other well. They "spar", chest bump, etc, but they quickly develop their situation. After 4 months, introducing some "intruders" is dicey, but it works out. Not saying the two groups will ever be best of mates, but there will be peace, eventually.