Pecking order problem?

[New2Chicks97]

My girls can be persnickety sometimes so I make sure to spread out the food and treats. I have multiple feeding dishes and make sure when they get scratch grain that I spread it out over a large area to ensure that the bossy girls can't eat it all by themselves. Of course my lovely little roo helps to keep the girls from fighting as well. He gives the overly aggressive ones a smack down when they start picking on some of the others too much. He has made all the difference in keeping the pecking order from getting out of control.

 

[FeatherstoneFrm]

3 of my girls and the cockerel are my original flock. 2 girls are laying and the other is the bottom ranked. She is smaller with less developed comb and wattles. She has been squatting for about two months but no eggs. The others chased her away from treats when they are in the run but the let her stay with them when free ranging. Even Hank chases her in the run but protects her outside.
I also have a new adult EE and three younger various breeds that come in below her in the order.

 

[ShellyBlanco]

Yep they are fed calcium they are show bred birds and the RIR have slow feathering in there genes. The one RIR is squatting when I pet it. I’ll post pics in a minute

If she is squatting she is within two weeks or so. She is beautiful. My RIRs are not show bred, but are pretty birds and very productive. I brought in two RIR Roos that are better quality to raise some chicks from next year. I love my RIRs, they have quite the personality. Good luck!

 

[ShellyBlanco]

Hi one of my RIR is being pecked but they are not hurting her and just chasing her away. When I give them treats they scare her away and she gets none. Also in the morning she is always on the floor of the coop while everybody is still resting on the roost? I know she is probably the lowest on the pecking order. Is there anything I can do about this? Is this a problem? She gets plenty of food and stays with the flock.

How are your girls doing?

 

[Callender Girl]

This sounds a bit like my RIR, who was one of my four original laying hens. All came from the same 4-H'er, all were raised together and all seemed to get along. However, as time went on, it was clear that Ginger Rogers (named for her ability to "dance)," was at the bottom of the pecking order. No one hurt her, so I wasn't too concerned, but she always took the lowest physical position in the coop. Sadly, when a mink attacked, I found her body underneath a nest box, one of her favorite hiding places. Good luck with your girl.

 

[Col1948]

Funny this came up, I had 3 hens and then got a bigger coop so got 2 more hens from the same farm.
The original 3 had a pecking order then with the 2 new ones they were at the bottom, but in the last couple of days I've noticed 1 of the new girls has started to challenge the number 2 ranking hen from the original 3.
I've seen them head to head and on occasion rear up at each other, up to now the number 2 seems to be holding her rank, before this they all seemed to be getting along fine.
After the little confrontation they go about in a group pecking away again as though nothing has happened, there hasn't been any real aggression yet just this staring and jumping up at each other and the odd chase.