Advancing in the pecking order

[Dr.GarryTTucker]

I’ve noticed over the last couple days I have a hen who is challenging the rooster. They’re both about a-year-old. I was just curious is it natural for a hen to want to stand up to a rooster? She does lose every time. But I was just curious

 

[sourland]

It happens as the pecking order is fluid and ever changing. Upon occasion if the hen is persistent enough roosters have been known to kill such hens. Much is dependent upon the personalities of the birds involved.

 

[aart]

If she's about 14-18 months old, she may be getting ready to molt and rejecting his advances, which he many not want to accept.
Did she submit to him before?
Is she still laying?

 

[Dr.GarryTTucker]

Yes she sticks by his side and hardly ever leaves him. She is the most skiddish towards me. Everyone wants to be picked up and held and talked to except her. They all submit to him though. She was the runt, the first one to lay, and the first to accept his advancements. She is still laying. Two days out of the week someone misses I get one less egg. Most of the time on Saturday or Sunday and I find a Tuesday or Thursday is the two days of the week someone doesn’t lay.

But in the mornings ¡no one! is accepting his advancements till around 7:30-8 in the morning