How intense is your pecking order?

[thecatumbrella]

Seem to be pretty fortunate, and pampered chickens. We think of them as pets with benefits as opposed to simple egg machines.

Same. They’re fun to have around, get us outside more, and keep us sharp with problem solving. Perfect pet, IMO.

 

[BDutch]

But no. I just HAD to try the bantams!

There are so many different bantam breeds, and its unfair to accuse the whole lot.
My bantams get along fine. There is only one problem with a couple of hens who will not tolerate youngsters in THEIR bedroom.

 

[DLA]

A good rooster can work wonders for an unruly flock but a good rooster is hard to find. Unless you're lucky there can be a lot of trial and error involved so for most people it isn't worth it unless a rooster is needed for making more chicks.

I'm always so shocked when people say their Wyandottes are aggressive— I know that Wyandottes are notorious for their (potential) aggression, but mine have been so sweet (mostly) that it's so hard for me to imagine!

I am very fortunate with my rooster, he's the best all around. He was a surprise rooster too, I didn't really even want one but I'm sure glad he's here now. I heard wyandotte roosters tended toward aggression but I didn't realize the hens can too. They're so pretty and such great layers too. Maybe cause the easter and olive eggers I have are so passive (except the rooster) they just exert their dominance more. They don't try to cause trouble with my barred rock who is friendly but won't put up with their shenanigans.

 

[thecatumbrella]

There are so many different bantam breeds, and its unfair to accuse the whole lot.

Hey, I said I loved them!

 

[thecatumbrella]

My bantams get along fine.

Also, what kind of bantams do you have? I stuck with pekin/cochins because that's the breed everyone seemed to love, but I'm always interested to hear what other people are having success with!

 

[Ponypoor]

Our first flock did not have any noticeable pecking order until everyone had started laying around 6-7 months old. Then it went from 0 to 60. Butt feathers were being eaten. Chickens were rehomed.

My new bantam flock is the polar opposite. 17 weeks old. Non-stop drama, and no one's even laying yet. If two chickens square off, the loser is now subject to pecking and chasing by the winner at any and all times. They can't even walk past each other! It will eventually simmer down a bit, but then a new pair gets going and the cycle repeats. We're at the point where all toys and fun enrichment items (including an empty water bottle to peck at) have been removed from the run because THEY CANNOT HANDLE IT! Seriously, why are we fighting over a piece of plastic? One was even guarding the foot bath I put in on a hot day. A foot bath. You're afraid of the foot bath! Why are you chasing her away from it?!

Dandelion's afraid of Poppy. Poppy's afraid of Wren. Willow's afraid of Dandelion. Clover's afraid of Poppy. But then they'll all cuddle together and preen... assuming their positioning is right. It's like seating guests at a wedding reception.

Normal? Were the first chickens anomalies? Is every flock different in how they set the tone? Has anyone else noticed different intensities with different flocks? Any chance they'll chill out once they're laying eggs?

Let me know!

I could just say 'Tis the way of the chicken'. But that is not answering your question fully.

To understand why you have any sort of drama one needs to know how many chooks you have, and the size and nature of their housing. In addition to this would be enrichment and entertainment for them. Chickens are extremely intelligent, they need to have puzzles to solve and to be kept busy all the time, they are like 2 yr old children.

I have had similar discussions with others on another thread, in fact just last week we were discussing the dynamics of our flocks. Some had a clear hierarchy of power, other had a more organic flow to the hierarchy, and still another had not perceived drama at all.

The discussion then came around to free-range vs housed and what the nature of the flock was; also the size and age of the flock was discussed. The one thing that we settled on was that each flock was unique and had their own way of being.

For instance, my flock has ages from 8yrs to 8 months of age. I have silkies, a couple of OEGB Bantams, a Polish Roo, Orpingtons, and a bunch of plain old mutts. So it's a mixed flock of big and small.

There are at present 3 Roosters, one (the Polish) is at least 4 yrs old the other 2 (silkie and OEGB Bantam) have just turned 1 yr old. In total I have 43 chooks. They have the run of a 30 x 60 barn during the day, with horse stalls to hide in and dig around it, finding any bits of horse poop I have missed during muck out. There are places to run to, hide in, and fly up on, the most drama during the day is for that favourite nest box (brats!).

For a couple hrs in the afternoon they all have access to the front lawn area at the barn, and the escape artists do their thing and go out back and dig around in the manure pile (which trust me is extremely annoying as they have it all tore apart! Brats!). On weekends and holidays they are outside all day. There are no big spats or fights, just some subtle juggling for prime dust bathing spots, and sun bathing.

Winter they generally do not go outside, unless it's to the manure pile where it's warm - winters here are very cold with huge amts of snow (a chicken can get lost in 3' of snow hahaha).

What I have found is that the Roos have their favourite ladies, who tend to hang around them, all the hens move freely between all the roos. There is no clear line of leadership, one might be boss over another who in turn bosses a hen who will go and boss the first one.

The other big drama is bed time. The oldest ladies all roost first (smart girls as they get the best spots!), then the youngsters go to bed in groups. The Roos generally go roost with the oldest ladies - smart boys also get the best locations. When the youngsters finally go to bed the older ladies will make sure that they are not anywhere near them, the youngsters are relegated to the less favourable roosting locations.

Funnily enough I have found that when the hens get past 2 yrs old they start hanging out more with the oldest hens who are more accepting of them as they age. It's like us humans - all the elderly with hang out discussing things, watching the kids, and the teens are off by themselves doing who knows what. But once the teens get around 30 or 40 yrs old they start hanging with the elders. Isn't it amazing how animals and humans are so much alike?

If your flock has too much drama then maybe they need more enrichment, and a larger area, or some time roaming around outside. They need something to remove some of their energy, same as with a child or a young horse, they need 'work' and time to run around playing and wearing off excess energy. It's our job to ensure they have a way to do this safely.

 

[C Siena]

I could just say 'Tis the way of the chicken'. But that is not answering your question fully.

To understand why you have any sort of drama one needs to know how many chooks you have, and the size and nature of their housing. In addition to this would be enrichment and entertainment for them. Chickens are extremely intelligent, they need to have puzzles to solve and to be kept busy all the time, they are like 2 yr old children.

I have had similar discussions with others on another thread, in fact just last week we were discussing the dynamics of our flocks. Some had a clear hierarchy of power, other had a more organic flow to the hierarchy, and still another had not perceived drama at all.

The discussion then came around to free-range vs housed and what the nature of the flock was; also the size and age of the flock was discussed. The one thing that we settled on was that each flock was unique and had their own way of being.

For instance, my flock has ages from 8yrs to 8 months of age. I have silkies, a couple of OEGB Bantams, a Polish Roo, Orpingtons, and a bunch of plain old mutts. So it's a mixed flock of big and small.

There are at present 3 Roosters, one (the Polish) is at least 4 yrs old the other 2 (silkie and OEGB Bantam) have just turned 1 yr old. In total I have 43 chooks. They have the run of a 30 x 60 barn during the day, with horse stalls to hide in and dig around it, finding any bits of horse poop I have missed during muck out. There are places to run to, hide in, and fly up on, the most drama during the day is for that favourite nest box (brats!).

For a couple hrs in the afternoon they all have access to the front lawn area at the barn, and the escape artists do their thing and go out back and dig around in the manure pile (which trust me is extremely annoying as they have it all tore apart! Brats!). On weekends and holidays they are outside all day. There are no big spats or fights, just some subtle juggling for prime dust bathing spots, and sun bathing.

Winter they generally do not go outside, unless it's to the manure pile where it's warm - winters here are very cold with huge amts of snow (a chicken can get lost in 3' of snow hahaha).

What I have found is that the Roos have their favourite ladies, who tend to hang around them, all the hens move freely between all the roos. There is no clear line of leadership, one might be boss over another who in turn bosses a hen who will go and boss the first one.

The other big drama is bed time. The oldest ladies all roost first (smart girls as they get the best spots!), then the youngsters go to bed in groups. The Roos generally go roost with the oldest ladies - smart boys also get the best locations. When the youngsters finally go to bed the older ladies will make sure that they are not anywhere near them, the youngsters are relegated to the less favourable roosting locations.

Funnily enough I have found that when the hens get past 2 yrs old they start hanging out more with the oldest hens who are more accepting of them as they age. It's like us humans - all the elderly with hang out discussing things, watching the kids, and the teens are off by themselves doing who knows what. But once the teens get around 30 or 40 yrs old they start hanging with the elders. Isn't it amazing how animals and humans are so much alike?

If your flock has too much drama then maybe they need more enrichment, and a larger area, or some time roaming around outside. They need something to remove some of their energy, same as with a child or a young horse, they need 'work' and time to run around playing and wearing off excess energy. It's our job to ensure they have a way to do this safely.

Thank you for a good explanation/description.

 

[thecatumbrella]

If your flock has too much drama then maybe they need more enrichment, and a larger area, or some time roaming around outside. They need something to remove some of their energy, same as with a child or a young horse, they need 'work' and time to run around playing and wearing off excess energy. It's our job to ensure they have a way to do this safely.

You've hit the nail on the head (or beak on the water nipple?).

One thing I was a tad underprepared for was how ACTIVE this breed is. Seriously, once they were warmed up from shipping, these chicks were furiously foraging on their puppy pad. I got to experience 3 bantam chick breeds this spring, and neither the d'Uccle nor the Silkies could hold a candle to these Cochin Bantams.

So busy is a positive, right? I believe chickens kept in confinement need a good blend of being chill (which mine fail at) and being engaged with the enrichment items offered. I've come to realize that mine ONLY want enrichment items. They do not want to eat at a standard feeder (though I still provide one). Every morsel must be worked for. Because what else is a chicken supposed to do? That's their literal purpose in life. Search for food and make babies. We're trying to find a new balance that keeps them engaged throughout the day, AND gets nutrition in their bellies. It's definitely a learning curve.

As for space, that's a tough one. The 10 sqft/chicken rule has always felt ridiculous to me, yet here I am at 27 sqft/chicken feeling the squeeze. I would love to give them more, but that would come at a cost to me and the way my property's structured. I would like to see them first succeed in the run that's offered. If that's not possible, despite our efforts, am I just not meant to keep chickens (not asking you specifically, just rambling out loud at this point )? Or is this breed just a poor match?

I really enjoyed reading your post. It clearly sparked a lot of thoughts in my head!

 

[Ponypoor]

You've hit the nail on the head (or beak on the water nipple?).

One thing I was a tad underprepared for was how ACTIVE this breed is. Seriously, once they were warmed up from shipping, these chicks were furiously foraging on their puppy pad. I got to experience 3 bantam chick breeds this spring, and neither the d'Uccle nor the Silkies could hold a candle to these Cochin Bantams.

So busy is a positive, right? I believe chickens kept in confinement need a good blend of being chill (which mine fail at) and being engaged with the enrichment items offered. I've come to realize that mine ONLY want enrichment items. They do not want to eat at a standard feeder (though I still provide one). Every morsel must be worked for. Because what else is a chicken supposed to do? That's their literal purpose in life. Search for food and make babies. We're trying to find a new balance that keeps them engaged throughout the day, AND gets nutrition in their bellies. It's definitely a learning curve.

As for space, that's a tough one. The 10 sqft/chicken rule has always felt ridiculous to me, yet here I am at 27 sqft/chicken feeling the squeeze. I would love to give them more, but that would come at a cost to me and the way my property's structured. I would like to see them first succeed in the run that's offered. If that's not possible, despite our efforts, am I just not meant to keep chickens (not asking you specifically, just rambling out loud at this point )? Or is this breed just a poor match?

I really enjoyed reading your post. It clearly sparked a lot of thoughts in my head!

You don't have to have a permanent 'out side space' - I don't have a permanent fence per-say. I have one of those temporary netting fences that can be electrified - I don't because I am too lazy. I have it up to keep them from roaming up to the house.

I only have them outside when I am home because I don't have a permanent fencing situation. I relax and watch them roam about, each is an individual, some are lazy some are hyper - the hyper ones are always flying over the horse fence (5' high!) and going out into the paddocks. Even my Lavender Orpington who is supposed to be calm is an escape artist. She doesn't fly that well but she can squeeze under fences and escape the brat!

You don't need to have an expensive or permanent outside space, all you need is a lawn chair and a couple hrs to just sit and relax with a cuppa tea and watch your chooks at play. When they roam ouside of their 'area' just herd them back calmly. The first time they are out they will be silly and run about but they will soon settle into scratching and pecking for bugs and such. Very relaxing

 

[ValkerieGunn]

I got to experience 3 bantam chick breeds this spring, and neither the d'Uccle nor the Silkies could hold a candle to these Cochin Bantams.

Or is this breed just a poor match?

Out of those 3 breeds I find the cochins the most relaxed but that could just be personalities of being individuals. We do free range so that could effect our birds attitudes too. The silkies are just spazzy and I don't think we will ever get another. Our 1 D'uccle we had has almost completely ruined the breed for me. 1 of my cochins was really hyper as a chick and has calmed so much that he makes Eeyore look hyper.