Hen getting mad at other hen?

[ChickenPeep]

Hello.
I have a 7 month old silkie-d'uccle cross who is the best chicken ever. Her name is Ebony. She is sweet and snuggly, goofy, and slightly assertive. Today she did something I've never seen her do before that concerned me.

She and the 3 other chickens had been outside almost all day. They had food and water and everyone had laid their eggs for the day excepy Ebony. Sometimes when Ebony gets tired, she starts making a certian clucking sound that is different than her usual sounds. It was around 7, and she had started doing that. I knew it was time for them to go to bed, but decided to give them a treat first. As they were eating, Ebby started doing the weird cluck even more. Ebony was eating right next to our buff silkie. Randomly, Ebby pecked the buff's head. I was starting to get up, when she grabbed on to her head poof and started flapping! It only lasted a second, but that was enough for me and I grabbed Ebby and put her alone in her cage.

What just happened? She's never done anything like that before!! Does anyone know?

 

[Den in Penn]

Sounds like a pecking order issue. The first peck being to tell the buff silkie to move the second to tell her she meant it.

 

[ChickenPeep]

But I thought the pecking order was something that they 'established' when they were younger?
Hmm..... Anyway, thanks for the help.

 

[Den in Penn]

Its about maintaining the order. Like telling a kid to pick up their socks and have to repeat it.

 

[ChickenPeep]

Ahhhh, I see.
Thanks for the help!