Do chickens know when you mean business?

[Melky]

I only use positive reinforcement but I do talk to my chickens and if I see unacceptable behavior in the pecking order, I do correct them firmly. I don't yell at them but I do believe they understand. They get praise for good behavior. Mine do run to me. I am lucky in the fact that mine are all the same age and grew up together so do not have too many of these issues to start with. Lately mine are getting brave and sneaking off a little to check out the woods. They do come when called back like naughty little chickens. Today they got contained early because they wandered off a little. I gave them a treat of cut greens with fresh water on return to coop/run. I have seen one chicken step sideways before causing one to jump off roosting bar but typically if that one wants back on, she will get back up. It does not appear intentional mostly that one did not want any crowding. They switch positions and mine frequently have all four on the bar managed by themselves without me jumping in. They seem to find their own way most of the time kindly.

 

[aart]

I have noticed a couple of things in what might be the pecking order, I mentioned in another thread what I thought was the order in the 3 original chickens like 1, 2, & 3.
Someone said the one I thought was number 2 might be number 3 as she was the lowest rank in the original 3, and she was doing the bullying to maintain her position, not wanting to drop lower to one or both of these 2 new girls.

Well in observations I've noticed the 2 new girls seem to be accepted when they are free ranging, they move about with the flock and sit next to high ranking members without being shooed away, and in some case even eating next to chickens 1 & 2 but still number 3 pushes them away when feeding.
Now and again number 1 will shoo them away but not as often as number 3, but as I said if you saw them in the garden together you would never know there was a conflict.

Also number 3 wants all the food, if for example I scatter some food down she rushes to get it and tries to be first, but then I will scatter some in the other direction and she rushes to that.
Like today I cut a water melon up in to 10 pieces, but no mater who went for any piece she wanted that one, she was dizzy trying to have every piece, course chickens 1 & 2 moved her away when she tried it on them.

Low bird of existing group will almost always be the most aggressive to new comers.
Not sure if they are defending their spot, or just reveling in having someone lower to lord it over.