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Pippy, sitting on my lap the other day.

While I was sitting in the run today during chickie snack time, a bit of rain came through. It absolutely poured down. Most of the chickens gathered around my feet.
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"Momma, keep us safe from noisy rain monster...."
But as soon as I pull out the phone and take pictures, they scattered.
Ya, what’s that all about? Hahaha same here!
 
The difference between smaller and larger groups when it comes to pecking order are quite real. I also think the tradition at my flock has been very linear from the first time we had 3 chickens. Some of this is likely learned behavior. Those are the rules at FBA. This is how their society is organized.

It started with Elphie putting Daisy in her place. Then Daisy put Patsy and Lilly in order. Patsy loved the pecking order in all things, including roosting. Aurora came into a world run by Lilly. That just established what has become the FBA way.

I really believe there is a learned component to how my girls have organized themselves.

If we moved Aurora to your flock I wonder what would happen? Would she organize them or give in to your socialist organization?
Well when I brought my BIL’s hens here last year I expected a big upheaval with Penelope and Raven.

But surprisingly it never happened. Those two ignore each other and I never see them around each other. My original group of 12 mostly hang out together, and BIL’s ladies and last years pullets (hens now I guess) pretty much hang out together.

But there is mixing and mingling of both groups all the time, but I never see Penelope and Raven next to one another.

But Raven will give way to Blanche and Sophia, but boss around the silkies who in turn boss Blanche.

It’s so convoluted, not linear at all. And yet for the most part everyone gets along. I put this down to having lots of distractions and places to get away from each other in the barn. When I go on the barn there are times I don’t even know I have chickens they wi all be scattered about, in stallls, in nest boxes, roosting on walls….

But when I bring out that red bowl - well then I see the full depth of how many chooks I have 😳🤪
 

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