hen posturing

[asteria01]

my wyandotte hen has been acting a bit strange lately. we added some 2 month old easter egger chicks as company. Shes been solo until now due to an attack a couple months ago from a night predator. she will fly/jump/run to the chicks and will lower her head and make herself look slightly rounder and stare hard at them. after she stares she either will start to chase them or run back to where she came from, and mutter under her breath while doing that. she will also have this behavior for no apparent reason at all, like she will charge at nothing and lower her head and stare, and run back to where she came from. she also always keeps an eye out on them just in case they start pecking at her favorite plant or something and will charge over. for the most part the chicks are taking it well i think, they are a smart bunch and have already figured out an escape route from her if she chases them. i know her behavior has to do with her trying to make sense of the new chicks and their place, but what exactly is she doing and what does it mean? also are there any behaviors to watch out for from her or the chicks?

 

[rides2far]

It sounds to me like she is establishing the pecking order AND making sure those interlopers know what they can & cannot do in her kingdom! My 2 buff orpingtons do the same thing. They put their heads down & run like charging Bulls. It's a hoot!

 

[asteria01]

it seems that anything, ie the feeder/waterer, plants, the ground, are all hers then! lol it seems like thats all she has time for nowadays, they are just offending her one after another. shes definitely very busy being bossy! how long can i expect this behavior? will she ever actually flock with them? or will she just always be a bit of a loner?

oh yes, and she charges at nothing!

 

[rides2far]

I am pretty new to chickens too, but it seems to me she SHOULD settle down soon. Of course she could be a prima Dona & keep her mad on! I can just visualize what she's doing. Too funny.

 

[asteria01]

haha i see. thanks!

 

[aart]

She'll stay head hen for a long time......things may calm down after a while, or they may not.
younger groups usually stay a subflock until they start laying, then they might mingle more but will still be subordinate.
But the pecking order is fluid and can change around, we may not know why or even notice it.

 

[asteria01]

will she still peck at them even though they are subordinate? or will they just other signs?

 

[aart]

She pecks them be cause are subordinate...of a lower in rank on the pecking order.
That will continue.....in the chicken world, someone is almost always pecking at another one.
It's just how they do.

 

[asteria01]

She pecks them be cause are subordinate...of a lower in rank on the pecking order.
That will continue.....in the chicken world, someone is almost always pecking at another one.
It's just how they do.

ah. but it wont be one of those blood curdling screech/pecks right?

 

[aart]

Quote: Sometimes they screech....as long as no blood is drawn and no one is pinned down/trapped and beaten upon just leave them be......
....you'll get used to it and learn by observing what is of concern and what is just normal pecking order stuff.