In a mixed flock who is your alpha hen and who is on the bottom?

[feathersnuggles]

Quote:
Mine too!

I have a blue splash wyandotte, cuckoo marans, black australorp, barnyard mutt, and an EE. They're all between 24-25 weeks old, standard size.

The bs wyandotte is the top hen - she bosses everyone else, except she never bosses the cuckoo marans.

The CM is next in line, and she's so big she doesn't get threatened (even by the top hen) and she never feels the need to harass anyone else.

The barnyard mutt is smaller than the black australorp, but she's so strong minded and dare-devilish that she isn't bothered by the BA. Only the top hen will attack her.

The black australorp is harassed by the bs wyandotte. But, she in turn is a mean b**** to my timid little EE.


My favorite, the EE, is harassed a lot by the black australorp - rarely by the top hen. However, she and the barnyard mutt are best buddies and friends, so she's a little protected by that relationship.

My theory about why the EE is at the bottom has to do with all that fluffy stuff and feathers around the eyes. I think she just can't see as well as the other breeds, which makes her more vulnerable. Just a guess.

 

[chookchick]

My BSL Jackie-O is the alpha hen. Wasn't always that way--in the original batch, she was definitely at the bottom, and got sick. I thought of her as a fragile little thing! (haha) When I got another hen (Wyandotte) to keep her company, the Wyandotte was alpha, until Jackie was full grown and gradually morphed into the top hen. My Speckled sussex is very bossy and huge, I expect that some day she will be alpha. And she was a sick little runt at one time also. The bottom one is an EE, of course.

 

[briznian]

1. Black Sex Link
2. Black Australorp
3. Barred Rock
4. Buff Orpington
5. Columbian Wyandotte
6. Speckled Sussex

 

[patman75]

Interesting that there is many EE on the bottom. I have a feeling when i add my EE and Speckled sussex to my other 4 the EE might be on the bottom for a while since she is the smallest.

 

[NatalieB]

Well I have an EE at the top.......man she is a witch! LOL and I have a blind EE at the bottom of the pecking order.......although no one pecks her when we are around!

 

[Zoopathy]

I have five girls, no roos.

My barred rock, Ursula, is the boldest, but I wouldn't say she's necessarily the Queen of the Coop. Two EEs and two BOs are her coop-mates, and everyone actually gets along really well. No bullying at all. They shift around where they roost at night, too, except Ursula, who's always at the front. She usually has one or the other my EEs next to her.

Maybe they're just too young to have really established a pecking order...? They're only 17 weeks old.

 

[nuts4chickens]

My boss hen is a teeny tiny little black japanese bantam named Ruby.

Second in line is a leghorn mix, then a giant 9 pound partridge cochin, black EE, and last in line is our buff orpington. All standard sized chickens ruled by the meanest scrappiest little banty you've ever seen! Nobody messes with Ruby!

 

[Amethyste]

In our original flock, it was Boo, our BR.

She died last year due to a coon attack, and Mercedes <EE> stepped right in. She's been in charge ever since! Now we have the chicks <13 weeks atm> and so far she is still 2nd in command. I am head hen you see!!

<--ALPHA HEN!!!!

The little ones are figuring out the pecking order.... it seems to change all the time, but the little silver EE seems to be lowest on the totem pole. She is a skittish little thing!! I am sure tho once they all mature they will mellow and get the pecking order set.

 

[juliawitt]

My Sam chicken is the "Boss"

She has had time out a couple of times which helped but she still lets everyone know she is in charge! She was given to me but I think she is a RIR. She really rules the roost!

 

[SunAngel]

Either I have an odd flock or I just cannot tell. But none of mine look like they are 'in charge'. Why is that? They will all snap at some of the younger juvies in with them from time to time, but none of them seem to keep the others in line or want to eat first. Theres 13 adults and 15 six month olds together and they mostly seem to keep to themselves and get along fine.

Now in my bantam coop, my White Silkie rescue chicken is always giving the rest a hard time if they get in her way. Noone challenges her and they try to give her a lot of space.