Are roos in the pecking order?

[Chickens in Elmwood]

All my chickens are 14 weeks old. 10 pullets and 1 cockerel. My kids and I watch them all the time, for at least several hours a day as I let them run around in the yard whenever we are outside. So far, it is impossible to tell who is at the top of their little chicken hierarchy.

There is a BO and an Australorp that fuss at each other every now and then. The Leghorn always hangs out with one of the other Austras. My GLW ALWAYS hangs out with the BO cockerel. But really, they are all always close to each other and will go all day with no squabbling or pecking. The only one that ever pecks is the cockerel (who is surprised by that) and that is only when someone tries to take away his treats (interestingly enough, he will give anything he has to the GLW - I reckon he thinks she's purty

So I am wondering if he is at the top of the order and is keeping everyone else in line or if they just don't have anything to fight about yet? Seriously, I have spent at least 3 hours nearly everyday for 14 weeks with them and have NO IDEA who is top chick. Are there some flocks that don't fight?

 

[gritsar]

Sounds like the rooster just hasn't reached maturity yet. Yes roos are part of the overall pecking order and in the case of more than one roo in a flock, they have their own pecking order that is seperate from the hens.
I rarely have fights between the hens in my adult flock, but when the girls do occasionally start to get cranky and fight, my roo puts an end to the fussing real quick. Other than that, he lets the girls run all over him.

 

[Chicken Ninja]

Usually a pecking order is established early on, and kept for a long time, if not throughout the rest of their lives. When I introduced my Wyandottes to my GSL's (the GSL's are 3 weeks older), there was some squabbling at first. Now they are all very nice to each other, and get along great. As soon as they re-established that order, things went good again.

 

[The Rooster]

Was wondering that as well. Just put my 2 newest black sex links in the coop and they get beat up on all the time. The sex links are smaller than all the other layers. i'm feeling sorry for them.