Is the pecking order meant to be linear?

[OwO]

as in is it meant to go Chicken1 > Chicken2 > Chicken3 > Chicken4... etc.

That's how it has always seemed to be with my flock, but I introduced 3 more chickens recently so I now have 8, and the pecking order is organised really weirdly, so some of the higher up chickens will still be below some of the lower down chickens. For example one of the new ones, Bluebell, is above Ila, who is above everyone else. However Bluebell is also below Coco and Cluck Norris, despite those two also both being below Ila.

 

[Pork Pie]

From what i have read, what you are observing is normal. It seems that the traditional linear pecking order concept is a little oversimplified and that flock dynamics are more complex than initially thought.

 

[aart]

Very few things about chickens are absolute.
Pecking order is fluid and will change when adding or subtracting birds,
or for no reason that we may be able to ascertain.

I think our observations of the birds' behaviors are often inaccurate,
there are many subtle things that we miss or more often misinterpret.

 

[Patinas]

I noticed the same thing in that my first 2 chicks are currently the boss and then down the line as they were purchased over a 3 week period. The last two I bought are the lowest ones in the pecking order although, I have a Brahma that was second to last purchased and lately she seems to be making her move to increase her status. She has size on her side and she seems to know it!

But, as @aart said, I'm sure we misinterpret many things we see happening in our flock. We tend to always want to relate animal behavior to human behaviors and thinking and that leaves us wide open to making the wrong assessments.

 

[Chickassan]

The pecking order here changes between two hens Bea and Marlene.The other hens are always below those two. I've noticed the order switches based on whether or not there is an mature rooster involved, cockrels have absolutely no pull in things. Marlene is top if there is a male, Bea is top if there isn't one. Bea however seems to be any roosters first choice amongst the hens. Waiting to see how these factors change or if they do being that the choice cockrel is already familiar with the newest two pullets. It's like a soap opera out there.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Definitely not linear in my flock. With just 4 chickens it looks like this: EE picks on Buff Rock. Rock picks on Welsummer. Welsummer picks on EE.

Buckeye sits on the side and ignores the drama.