Pecking Order Madness

1. Perky, Vorwerk, about 29 months: Will sometimes peck on the other chickens for no apparent reason, but generally non-aggressive. She doesn't chase them around or disturb them 'just because'. She will jealously claim any stationary food item, such as a hung-up corn cob or something I've been holding still for more than a few seconds, but will share nicely if I present the treat to each chicken in turn.

2?. Winnie, Vorwerk, about 19 months: Kind of a weird chicken. She has the smallest build (just), and is last in line for the dustbath and regular food, but bring out the grapes and she'll literally wrestle them off Perky. Perky grumbles, but doesn't do anything. Winnie is the most human-friendly and talkative of the three. Since adulthood, I've never seen her peck the other two.

3?. Wumbus, Vorwerk, about 19 months: Was #2, but ripped off the entire nail of a middle toe and has drifted apart from the other two a little. (She has about 5mm of nail on the upper side of the toe now.) Seems to have lost her position simply through lack of maintenance. She used to be a lot smaller than Winnie, and was once pecked by her hard enough to leave a permanent 'dent' in her comb, but one day she kicked the crap out of Winnie and that was that. She has the largest frame, and is quite wary of humans. You can feed her by hand, but you can't pick her up. She has pecked Winnie off the food bowl a few times.

They all weigh in the region of 4lb 8oz. Perky is from the breeder's Trio 1 and the other two are from either Trio 1 or Trio 2, so at least two of them share at least a father.
 
Hey K!

Here's my pecking order arrangement, *I think*

Main Flock:
1.Buff Orpington-Virginia (And she's broody right now so she's extra grouchy. She's also the tiniest)
2. Golden Laced Wyandotte-Bronzy
3. Silver Laced Wyandotte-Dot
4. My Red Sex Links-Autumn, Henny Penny, Rosi and Pumpkin (in that order)
5. Buff Orpington-Buffy
6. Easter Egger Red Sex Link X-Summer

Small Flock:
1. Belgian Bearded Mille Fleur d'Uccle (bantam)-Muffin. Who again is broody and extra grouchy.
2. Speckled Sussex-Specky
3. Barred Rock Bantam-Cookie
4 California Whites-Snowball, Popcorn, Snow White the II and Daisy.

Hey!! Thank you for responding! :)
Very good order. Great names too!

1. California Grey, who is 6 years older than the rest, who are 4 months old.
2. Easter Egger
3. Golden Comet
4. Cuckoo Marans
5 & 6. Golden Laced Wyandote and Australorp. I'm not sure which one is the lowest.

Hello,

Thanks for your response! Good breeds, thanks for the order!

  1. Hobo -Dominique came in and took over.
  2. Negan -Faverolles rooster desperate to dominate Hobo.
  3. Bea-Bea -Beaster egger "BO and Easter egger" was formerly big cheese.
  4. Marlene -Delaware, Bea-Bea's partner in terror.
  5. Susan - Ameraucana gets pecked alot but is still sneaky mean.
  6. Tucks -Faverolles going to be bigger than everyone else and that's the only thing that's going to keep her semi unpecked.
  7. Lulu- Faverolles big fluffy whiney baby going to be big but can't even bluff aggression, I will be protecting her forever. :)

Wonderful breeds! Cute names!!
I like how you explained Lulu!

Instead of the 'pecking order", it would be more accurate if we referred to the structure that produces chicken behavior as the "social order". There exist some flocks where individuals don't show much aggression toward one another for the simple reason individuals happen to be in agreement as to their rank in relation to all the other individuals.

Breed is only one factor influencing behavior. Individual temperaments, apart from breed, play an important role in aggression. There are timid and assertive personalities in chicken world just as there are in the world of humans.

Environment also plays a large role in influencing individual behavior. For example, chickens confined to a small space will experience over-crowding stress and may be much more apt to resort to aggression.

Age of the chickens in relationship to one another also plays a big role in aggression, pullets near and beyond point of lay being much more aggressive toward chicks than older individuals. Older individuals are more secure in their rank and show less aggression towards younger members overall.

So, simply taking a survey of breeds and how aggressive they are is but a starting point in unraveling all the reasons for aggression.

Yes, I know. Thank you.

1. Perky, Vorwerk, about 29 months: Will sometimes peck on the other chickens for no apparent reason, but generally non-aggressive. She doesn't chase them around or disturb them 'just because'. She will jealously claim any stationary food item, such as a hung-up corn cob or something I've been holding still for more than a few seconds, but will share nicely if I present the treat to each chicken in turn.

2?. Winnie, Vorwerk, about 19 months: Kind of a weird chicken. She has the smallest build (just), and is last in line for the dustbath and regular food, but bring out the grapes and she'll literally wrestle them off Perky. Perky grumbles, but doesn't do anything. Winnie is the most human-friendly and talkative of the three. Since adulthood, I've never seen her peck the other two.

3?. Wumbus, Vorwerk, about 19 months: Was #2, but ripped off the entire nail of a middle toe and has drifted apart from the other two a little. (She has about 5mm of nail on the upper side of the toe now.) Seems to have lost her position simply through lack of maintenance. She used to be a lot smaller than Winnie, and was once pecked by her hard enough to leave a permanent 'dent' in her comb, but one day she kicked the crap out of Winnie and that was that. She has the largest frame, and is quite wary of humans. You can feed her by hand, but you can't pick her up. She has pecked Winnie off the food bowl a few times.

They all weigh in the region of 4lb 8oz. Perky is from the breeder's Trio 1 and the other two are from either Trio 1 or Trio 2, so at least two of them share at least a father.

Very good names as well as stories. Thank you for responding! Good order. :)

Sincerely,
-The Angry Hen/Kaitlyn
 

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