firestomp
Chirping
Here is some things to expect if you are new to chickens or maybe just don't know. Chickens, like most other animals, have a pecking order, or a held rank in the flock. It is ran from top to bottom, it is strict, and harshly enforced. Usually you get a group of chicks or young chickens. Even at a young age the pecking order is started. You can learn so much by many hours of observing your flock. I get to enjoy doing this thanks to shift work. There are leaders, and there are the the rest of the group. The leaders eat first, have their choice of roost spots (yes even roosting has an order) and can be tirants. This is what I have seen in my current flock.
The original group I have came as 11 week old siblings. One of the 5 barred rocks is queen of the coop and Big jake the overall boss. A friend gave me a hen named little red, she instantly found herself holding the lowest possible spot. They accepted her, but she was last for sure. Then a hen hatched out chicks, all from these hens mind you and we kept 4 of them. When they became teens, they now were the lowest members, Now even little red had someone she could bully. They aren't even allowed in the coop at night and sleep 7 feet off the ground in the open. ( I did an article on cold weather housing about them being stuck outside) Even amongst themselves their was an order to who sat where on the roost. We now have 3 hens that came to us after 2 dog attacks. Guess what happened, yes, now they were the lowest. One of these hens has 7 chicks, she will run squirrels up a tree, backed down my big hunting cat that took to much interest, but WILL NOT defend herself or the chicks fro the other hens. She simply moves them away from the main group. I have watched all of this for so long, that i believe she knows her and her chicks rank and accepts it without a doubt, even when a hen gives a peck to her chicks. Anything else she defends her chicks with force, she even keeps between me and her chicks, clucking and puffed the entire time, and will peck me if I pick one up. I wonder where the chicks will wind up?
A rooster from last years hatch went to a friends, his hens bossed him around for months, wouldn't let him out of the coop. Now as an adult, he has taken the top rank. This happens in nearly every animal species. Primates, lions, wolves, baboons and hyenas are among the most violent in keeping everyone in rank and file.
I hope this helps you understand what you see as bullying in your flock. Watch them, you will learn a lot, even from a chicken.
The original group I have came as 11 week old siblings. One of the 5 barred rocks is queen of the coop and Big jake the overall boss. A friend gave me a hen named little red, she instantly found herself holding the lowest possible spot. They accepted her, but she was last for sure. Then a hen hatched out chicks, all from these hens mind you and we kept 4 of them. When they became teens, they now were the lowest members, Now even little red had someone she could bully. They aren't even allowed in the coop at night and sleep 7 feet off the ground in the open. ( I did an article on cold weather housing about them being stuck outside) Even amongst themselves their was an order to who sat where on the roost. We now have 3 hens that came to us after 2 dog attacks. Guess what happened, yes, now they were the lowest. One of these hens has 7 chicks, she will run squirrels up a tree, backed down my big hunting cat that took to much interest, but WILL NOT defend herself or the chicks fro the other hens. She simply moves them away from the main group. I have watched all of this for so long, that i believe she knows her and her chicks rank and accepts it without a doubt, even when a hen gives a peck to her chicks. Anything else she defends her chicks with force, she even keeps between me and her chicks, clucking and puffed the entire time, and will peck me if I pick one up. I wonder where the chicks will wind up?
A rooster from last years hatch went to a friends, his hens bossed him around for months, wouldn't let him out of the coop. Now as an adult, he has taken the top rank. This happens in nearly every animal species. Primates, lions, wolves, baboons and hyenas are among the most violent in keeping everyone in rank and file.
I hope this helps you understand what you see as bullying in your flock. Watch them, you will learn a lot, even from a chicken.
