Female dominance issues or possible males??

[Farm_Maven]

To tell the truth, they all look like pullets to me.

 

[Nikki82]

Thank you.

 

[Nostalchic]

I, too, think they look like girls, and females WILL jockey for position (you know, the PECKING order?) confronting one another and fluffing out their neck feathers much the same as cockerels do - for a little bit. Usually no damage done, but the boss-lady emerges. If there are no roosters in the flock, that dominant female will often take on the leadership position, and will discipline the other hens, push them around, but also protect them, and even jump on their backs and appear to mate. It's really interesting to observe these social interactions. I had all girls for over a year (spent a lot of time observing all this), and then my broody hatched out a bunch of chicks, 4 of which are boys... quite a remarkable change in the dynamics of the flock right now, as they reach adolescence, believe me!

 

[Nikki82]

Thank you both. It appears that I have two that really want to run the flock then, and the one incharge seems to change from day to day. The other two are happy followers.Though I have noticed that the physical violance has dropped off since I started free ranging them, now it's just arguments over who gets the grasshopper that was just caught (though, oddly, Eenie and Meenie only care if it was one of them that got it). They will stop the little fude when they figure out who the top female is, won't they?