Kinda late for a pecking order change?

[gritsar]

My Lil' Bit, half blind and the runt to boot, has finished her molt and she's something to see!

She's feathered out beautifully and now has foot feathers to rival my rooster's. She's having to learn to walk all over again to keep from tripping over them.

Anyhow, she was always the picked on one. My roo favors her for companionship, but not for mating. I haven't seen him mate her in months, but he does favor her with the best treats and tolerates her endless preening of his feathers. He has another girl that he mates constantly.

So today I noticed Lil' Bit being the one to pick on others. One hen dared to enter the coop when Lil' Bit was in there eating and LB had a fit. She chased the other hen out and there was squawking and actual foot stomping involved.

Little late for her to decide to step up isn't it?

 

[gritsar]

Opps, forgot. They are 18, almost 19 months old. First time I've seen any show of boldness out of LB.

 

[chookchick]

Well good for her! The runt triumphs once again!

Sounds like she is smart enough to suck up and get her way. Like my Cleopatra--she can't peck worth a darn, but she is smart enough to pester me until I hand feed her.

 

[Danceswithchicks]

My sweet rooster Frank was like that! As soon as he turned 1 year old and got nice looking spurs his status rose!

 

[AngieChick]

Mine have done some shifting around. It sounds like she is feeling more confident and a bit sassy. Good for her!

 

[LynneP]

Mine too, the top ones seem to be shifting a bit from time to time...

 

[Brindlebtch]

Mine have shifted top hen also.

 

[gritsar]

After having to come to Lil' Bit's rescue for the first year of her life due to the others picking on her, I'm really glad to see her get some status.

 

[Mr. Peepers]

The status of my hens seems to depend on how frequently they lay. For one reason or another the hen that lays the best, since she began laying, has moved from the bottom of the order to the top. Hens that were higher, but are not yet laying have moved to the bottom.

Stranger still, before any hens were laying, my rooster was always first everywhere. Once some started to lay, they assumed the lead. Laying hens first, then rooster, then non-laying hens. Even stranger, my rooster seems to know who's laying. He ignores the non-layers and is very protective and "affectionate" towards the ones who are laying.

Chicken society is very complicated.