Pecking order: how to tell who is winning the skirmishes?

[doughouse]

Hi,
We have a small little flock of five who are between 14 and 16 weeks old right now. We thought we had a pretty good sense of their pecking order until our barnevelder Minerva, who had been unambiguously at the bottom of the pecking order previously, began her campaign to move up the ranks. While they're all out free-ranging she'll charge at another bird and they'll both get their hackles up and have a bit of a starting contest that lasts a second or two, then they both go back to the business of scratching up my yard. Now that Minerva has upset the balance of things they're all doing it, but now I have no idea who is "winning" these little skirmishes. The only time I've ever seen an actual peck was when our little blue splash Marans, who I think is now the bottom chicken, ran up on one of the top two. But besides pecks, are their any other behaviors I should be looking for to judge the outcomes of these face-offs?

 

[Anime2lover]

Hi,
We have a small little flock of five who are between 14 and 16 weeks old right now. We thought we had a pretty good sense of their pecking order until our barnevelder Minerva, who had been unambiguously at the bottom of the pecking order previously, began her campaign to move up the ranks. While they're all out free-ranging she'll charge at another bird and they'll both get their hackles up and have a bit of a starting contest that lasts a second or two, then they both go back to the business of scratching up my yard. Now that Minerva has upset the balance of things they're all doing it, but now I have no idea who is "winning" these little skirmishes. The only time I've ever seen an actual peck was when our little blue splash Marans, who I think is now the bottom chicken, ran up on one of the top two. But besides pecks, are their any other behaviors I should be looking for to judge the outcomes of these face-offs?

I know that the lower ranks will back off first. I've also noticed with mine that when they skirmish over something they will sometimes stare each other down. And the loser will back away for good. Lower ranks will often avoid the higher ranks some to.

 

[GC-Raptor]

My newest Flock are 17 weeks old and do the charge, no pecking observed.

I don't know who's boss.
Now my three 2 year old hens, I know that Friendly is boss and the other two are friends.

GC

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your pullets are still young so the standoffs are more like feeling each other out, with a little bit of playing. My chicks all take turns doing this to each other when they "free range" (I use that loosely because they come out, charge at each other, and then all return to the run within a minute or two).

You'll know what you see an actual skirmish, they'll face off like MMA fighters and leap at or flog at each other.

 

[thepick4uchicks]

Hi,
We have a small little flock of five who are between 14 and 16 weeks old right now. We thought we had a pretty good sense of their pecking order until our barnevelder Minerva, who had been unambiguously at the bottom of the pecking order previously, began her campaign to move up the ranks. While they're all out free-ranging she'll charge at another bird and they'll both get their hackles up and have a bit of a starting contest that lasts a second or two, then they both go back to the business of scratching up my yard. Now that Minerva has upset the balance of things they're all doing it, but now I have no idea who is "winning" these little skirmishes. The only time I've ever seen an actual peck was when our little blue splash Marans, who I think is now the bottom chicken, ran up on one of the top two. But besides pecks, are their any other behaviors I should be looking for to judge the outcomes of these face-offs?

I have a flock of nine that are all 15 weeks old. They have skirmishes and I have witnessed some pretty serious tangles and pullets being put in their place by the other one who I think is most likely the lead pullet in charge. I had a pullet to bite me twice pretty hard one day when I was giving them some treats twice. I reacted with “Ow” rather loudly. This particular lead pullet then went after the pullet that bit me and rode her head down to the ground and didn’t let her up until after quite a few seconds had passed. She gave her some serious disciplinary action for biting me. I was thoroughly surprised! Needless to say she didn’t come over for anymore treats either for the rest of the afternoon. It was quite a scene. The lead pullet is always the first on the roost at night also and gets her place first to sleep and then the rest settle around her. I have watched. She is my most curious hen also she follows me around the run and coop and watches what I do and is most interested in what I am doing. She will fly to greet me in the afternoons at the run door when I come in to do chores also. She is a good hen. She is definitely in charge.

 

[doughouse]

I have a flock of nine that are all 15 weeks old. They have skirmishes and I have witnessed some pretty serious tangles and pullets being put in their place by the other one who I think is most likely the lead pullet in charge. I had a pullet to bite me twice pretty hard one day when I was giving them some treats twice. I reacted with “Ow” rather loudly. This particular lead pullet then went after the pullet that bit me and rode her head down to the ground and didn’t let her up until after quite a few seconds had passed. She gave her some serious disciplinary action for biting me. I was thoroughly surprised! Needless to say she didn’t come over for anymore treats either for the rest of the afternoon. It was quite a scene. The lead pullet is always the first on the roost at night also and gets her place first to sleep and then the rest settle around her. I have watched. She is my most curious hen also she follows me around the run and coop and watches what I do and is most interested in what I am doing. She will fly to greet me in the afternoons at the run door when I come in to do chores also. She is a good hen. She is definitely in charge.

That's an awesome story!

 

[Nicsbackyardchicks]

My girls (9 weeks old) do this when free ranging. I found that in the coop and run the pecking order is well established however, when they are out of the coop it's turns into wacky races and ninja chicken wars (my daughters term), they puff up and charge at each other. There's no aggression but they seem to establishing a different hierarchy. It's hilarious to watch tiny little Flora have a run at the much bigger girls. They all seem to do it and it's causes no unrest. Once back in the run, it all goes back to normal.
It's deffo normal behaviour as long as no one is getting unduly pecked at.

 

[aart]

The one who runs away is the loser.
It can change daily .....or even hourly.

 

[Lexicon]

Hi,
We have a small little flock of five who are between 14 and 16 weeks old right now. We thought we had a pretty good sense of their pecking order until our barnevelder Minerva, who had been unambiguously at the bottom of the pecking order previously, began her campaign to move up the ranks. While they're all out free-ranging she'll charge at another bird and they'll both get their hackles up and have a bit of a starting contest that lasts a second or two, then they both go back to the business of scratching up my yard. Now that Minerva has upset the balance of things they're all doing it, but now I have no idea who is "winning" these little skirmishes. The only time I've ever seen an actual peck was when our little blue splash Marans, who I think is now the bottom chicken, ran up on one of the top two. But besides pecks, are their any other behaviors I should be looking for to judge the outcomes of these face-offs?

I am a chicken newbie, but I have noticed with my 12 week old pullets that they flare at each other just as you described, but oftentimes after a few seconds one will duck her head lower and look away. I have assumed that this was the "loser" of that little altercation.

 

[centrarchid]

Hi,
We have a small little flock of five who are between 14 and 16 weeks old right now. We thought we had a pretty good sense of their pecking order until our barnevelder Minerva, who had been unambiguously at the bottom of the pecking order previously, began her campaign to move up the ranks. While they're all out free-ranging she'll charge at another bird and they'll both get their hackles up and have a bit of a starting contest that lasts a second or two, then they both go back to the business of scratching up my yard. Now that Minerva has upset the balance of things they're all doing it, but now I have no idea who is "winning" these little skirmishes. The only time I've ever seen an actual peck was when our little blue splash Marans, who I think is now the bottom chicken, ran up on one of the top two. But besides pecks, are their any other behaviors I should be looking for to judge the outcomes of these face-offs?

Look at how tails are held even when not in combat. Dominant birds will keep tails close to 45 degree above horizontal while subordinates will have tails closer to horizontal. You can also not differences in how hackles are held and voice.