Do Chicken Matriarchs choose their Successors ?

[pdw]

I have noticed for some time now a behavior with my chickens.
I have a three rung ladder in my coop and the matriarchs at the time are always on the top rung.This is understood and anyone new introduced learns very quickly if they try to rest on the rung at night with the top girl.
I began to notice with one Matriarch, who was getting older, 5 yrs , and slowing down .
She hadn't laid in a few months.
About 4 or 5 months before she passed she allowed another girl to sleep on the top rung with her .
After she passed away, that night that girl went up on the top rung and the other girls stayed below on the second rung.
When that matriarch recently passed away at 6 yrs old , about 4 months before she passed she let one of the girls in the flock up on her rung with her .
We can see and watch our coop from our kitchen and that night we sat and looked out the window to see what chicken would take command of the top rung.
It was Rosie who The matriarch had allowed on the rung with her .
Rosie is now top chicken and matriarch of the flock.
Has anyone else ever noticed this behavior ?

 

[SueT]

This is the pecking order, and the entire flock understands it, that #2 is the successor. It's fascinating to observe, isn't it?

 

[pdw]

This is the pecking order, and the entire flock understands it, that #2 is the successor. It's fascinating to observe, isn't it?

It is ! I really enjoy watching the interaction between my girls and how they handle situations in the flock.I especially love watching their personalities develop as they go from chick to full grown.

 

[drumstick diva]

Maybe the hen on her way out, starts grooming the next on the sly.