Is this a result of pecking order?

[jamita810]

I recently moved my 7 week old baby chicks (two breeds 4 each) into the chicken coop. In a dog crate they are sealed in their crate, so that the adult chickens cannot get to them- a look and not touch policy. I have four adults, two Rhode Island Reds and two silver cuckoo Marans: I recently noticed that while they are free-ranging one of the Marans (Houdini) is harassing the other Maran (jizele) with our being povoked. Could this be result of them establishing a new pecking order due to the new chicks or is this just a show of aggression or to move up in the line?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The addition of the chicks could be causing some affirmations of the pecking order. Is your set up big enough to add more? Having too many in a smaller area can cause aggression too. Adding chicks can disrupt things in a flock, but it's usually temporary.