I have recently lost my rooster. Now I am not the most experienced person when it comes to raising chickens so I'm not sure if every rooster is like mine was. Rooster was a very protective guy, from food to predators to places to sleep - Rooster was the MAN!! The hens did very little without first getting the OK from Rooster. Even my two pitbulls (who aren't aggressive in the first place) found out quick that Rooster wasn't one to be messed with. Well, the other day Rooster sadly decided he would jump the privacy fence. Even though this has happened before, it was pretty rare for him to do this as the hens would soon start to miss him and call for him. Any other day this would have been ok - they would start to call him and he would just jump back over the fence. On this particular day, a large (what appeared to be a German Shepard mix) dog decided to make his way all the way down our road and, I'm guessing due to hunger or "playfulness", get the best of our rooster. I will say this - Rooster did not go down without a good, strong fight!! :/ Well, the point is... my buff Orpington is the oldest girl I have and has been pretty much at the top of the pecking order (other than Roosters "girlfriend"). Now that Rooster is gone, the youngest girl I have who used to get picked on, is now almost aggressive and pecking my buff Orpington's wings when she tries to eat or when she tries to do anything really. Anyone have any guess as to what this is about? And would you guess it would be somehow because of the loss of Rooster?
They will definitely have to rearrange and "discuss" their new pecking order now. Maybe your youngest one decided this was the right time to assert herself. They will sort it out in time. It might help to provide some distraction or extra space, if you can. Something like a hanging cabbage or flock block might help. Also, new objects in their sspace, or just moving the present ones around will shake things up a little. I would definitely set up a second food/water station if I could.
