curious...

[Johnn]

when my chicken who is the top hen dies will the rest fight to take her place? i have a cockerel so hes clearly the number one boss but she is boss of the hens

 

[southerndesert]

Quote:
When the dominant hen is gone they will indeed have a new "leader" usually not much fighting and fussing in a well established flock, but may be a spat or two.

 

[CMV]

Yes. The squabbling will increase until a new leader comes out on top.

I had to remove the top tier of my chicken hierarchy due to behavioral problems. Once the leaders were removed the fighting got pretty intense for about 2 weeks until a new bird established herself as leader. Funny enough, it was not the bird I had predicted would become top bird. A previously lowest ranking bird came out on top and cowed everyone. I'm OK with the results of the new pecking order. The newest leader is much more benevolent than the previous leader, and the flock seems more stable than ever.

Good luck.

 

[Johnn]

oh, i just thaught the second hen in the pecking order would take her place

 

[turbodog]

Quote:
Nope, seems the whole peckin order get's rearranged anytime one is out of the picture.

 

[Johnn]

and i thaught i had it all planned out who would be next to the top hen but obviously not