Hens higher in pecking order than rooster?

[Cold-Blood]

It did. I made a roll away box about a week ago, and they no longer can eat them. Problem solved!

 

[Cold-Blood]

its not super common but it can happen. it really depends on the personality of the rooster and top hens. Ive noticed just like humans chickens who are confident can do anything there petty little hearts desire. for example i have a polish hen that absolutely dominates everyone (she doesn't discriminate gender) even if they are 2x her size except for her husband, who even tho she could beat into submission chooses instead to let him have his way lol

You don't say. Ironically our head hen is also the smallest sized standard sized hen. I guess it's kind of like a Rottweiler being afraid of a chihuahua. If she is in a bad mood she runs around the feeder pecking away like it's the best game of whackamole ever created.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I agree with what the others have said.

 

[3KillerBs]

Are we talking about mature, adult roosters or young cockerels?

I have a hen who wouldn't squat for anything, including me. But now that the senior cockerel is almost a rooster (11 months), I'm seeing dirty footprints on her pretty, white back every day.

 

[Cold-Blood]

He is a Rooster. We have had others before that we're also roosters, not cocks.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I have 10 Roosters & each has a group of hens set up, so each group has their own coop & pen space. All seem fine in their Roo with harem hen roles, except for one. I introduced my RIR Comet mixed Roo to some young RIR hens. They pecked him bald! And he allowed them!
I had to take him out & move a tougher Roo in with them, my big chunk Wyandotte. They've even pecked his comb a bit, but not much, he doesn't put up with it. So yeah, it was a new scenario for me, hens bossing a Roo around, but I guess it depends upon individual personality. My Casanova is just too sweet for that group of rowdy wenches. He is doing better with my senior hens now, growing his bald neck feathers back.
Before the wenches & after, my sweet boy.

 

[Cold-Blood]

I have 10 Roosters & each has a group of hens set up, so each group has their own coop & pen space. All seem fine in their Roo with harem hen roles, except for one. I introduced my RIR Comet mixed Roo to some young RIR hens. They pecked him bald! And he allowed them!
I had to take him out & move a tougher Roo in with them, my big chunk Wyandotte. They've even pecked his comb a bit, but not much, he doesn't put up with it. So yeah, it was a new scenario for me, hens bossing a Roo around, but I guess it depends upon individual personality. My Casanova is just too sweet for that group of rowdy wenches. He is doing better with my senior hens now, growing his bald neck feathers back.
Before the wenches & after, my sweet boy.
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Ooh I'm sorry about that.
Maybe they just thought he would look better as a naked neck?
Poor rooster.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Ooh I'm sorry about that.
Maybe they just thought he would look better as a naked neck?
Poor rooster.

He is looking much better, comb is up again & new feathers. My goodness those wenches are bullies! He is such a loverboy, he is so huggable.

 

[Tonyroo]

I had a similar experience 2 years ago when Prince roo was just turning into a adult. He got picked on by my top hen who happens to be a GLW. She ruled over everything and everyone.

Till one day Prince decide to challenge her. It literally looked like a cock fight and lasted for about 5 minutes. He literally beat her down to submission. And to top his win he mated her. It was an interesting behavior to watch. The other hens were watching too.

After that it was a sealed deal who would be the top bird. Strange occurrence over the following weeks and months. She would be his favorite hen from it.

 

[Chicken lover1980]

You don't say. Ironically our head hen is also the smallest sized standard sized hen. I guess it's kind of like a Rottweiler being afraid of a chihuahua. If she is in a bad mood she runs around the feeder pecking away like it's the best game of whackamole ever created.

lol mine to! she is a menace, its the small hens who are the biggest problem makers