Is it normal for the "boss" chicken to chase newer chickens?

[KatkyCampbell]

I have two older ladies in my flock we have had since April (raised by my friend). We raised two new ones from chicks and they have been integrated into the coop with the ladies for almost a month now. Polly (the mama hen/Rhode Island Red) does not hunt them down and is not pulling out any feathers (there was a lot of that in the first few days..) or pecking at them. But every now and then she will chase them both around the coop. Is this normal? And if so, will it stop or will she continually need to prove her dominance? We are also in the process of integrating three lavendar orpingtons so I wonder if she will do that to all of them or if she will give up LOL?

thanks for your help I am new to all of this but loving every minute of it!

 

[azygous]

It depends on how old this boss lady is. Normally, older hens, four and up, are mostly indifferent to younger members of the flock unless they are getting out of line and not minding their manners by letting the older chickens eat first.

Younger adults sometimes take a demonic pleasure in chasing the youngsters around.

Most of this hazing of younger chicks by older chickens is nothing more than rite of passage chicken style. You need to watch the dynamic and decide if the chicks are being reprimanded for getting out of line, usually isolated actions, or if they are being bullied and tormented out of perverse pleasure. That would warrant intervention and discipline of the offending adult chicken by pecking them with your finger when they go after the chicks.

 

[BuckeyeAmy69]