How long do chickens take to work out a pecking order?

[lovingchicks]

It's a beautiful day here in South Carolina so I decided it was a good time to transfer some chickens

I put them all in the run together and transferred all the feeders and waterier from the temporary pens to the big one in hopes of cutting down on confusion and fighting. Other than a few pecks here and there things went much smoother than I anticipated. Most of the chickens are different ages. But all are between 2 and 6 months. My question in how long do I need to watch them closely? I am almost scared to walk away. I know they have a natural order in chicken behavior but I don't want any serious injury. Any ideas on how long I have to sit out here??? It has been about 2 hours so far

 

[DavidKerk]

It's a beautiful day here in South Carolina so I decided it was a good time to transfer some chickens

I put them all in the run together and transferred all the feeders and waterier from the temporary pens to the big one in hopes of cutting down on confusion and fighting. Other than a few pecks here and there things went much smoother than I anticipated. Most of the chickens are different ages. But all are between 2 and 6 months. My question in how long do I need to watch them closely? I am almost scared to walk away. I know they have a natural order in chicken behavior but I don't want any serious injury. Any ideas on how long I have to sit out here??? It has been about 2 hours so far

If there hasn't been any major skirmishes in two hours then I think you should be fine. I hope all goes well!

 

[windzbreezy]

Just expect the sweetest 1 to be considered the weakest 1 and will be at the bottom of the order. That will change when you introduce a new group of chickens and it will start all over again

 

[cafarmgirl]

Were the temporary pens set up so they were seeing each other every day thorugh the wire? If so then your pecking order issues will be minor. I raise my chickens next to each other like that and there is very little pecking when they do mix. Nothing more the the occasional shoulder peck or pulled tail here and there.

 

[rookiefarmers]

Ours were fine the first hour, being polite, then thy started having skirmishes for a few hours then the littles found the hiding areas and all has been well since.

 

[windzbreezy]

That's a good idea about the wire, I have mine set up that way but I didn't think of it as an association exercise

 

[lovingchicks]

Yes.. My temporary pen is a little portable coop/run. I put it beside my permanent one for convenience so all my chicks would be in the same area. I didn't even think about them seeing each other! Thanks!!

 

[lovingchicks]

Thanks everybody! I just checked on them again and I think everything is going to be fine

I am anxious now to see if they will all go in the coop together tonight. They have all taken turns going in there today just not at the same time.

 

[windzbreezy]

If you have a huge flock will there be too much to keep up with a pecking order?

 

[DavidKerk]

I've heard chickens can keep a pecking order going in a flock of up to 100 birds. I'd be so confused!