I currently have 18 chickens, 7 are 2 yrs old(big girls), 4 are 3.5 month old(teens) & 7 that are 8 weeks old(kids). The "teens" have been integrated with the "big girls" now for the past 2 months & have received the brunt of the "big girls" pecking. They (big girls & teens) all seem to get along but the 4 teens are definately at the bottom of the pecking order. (the teens are most often picked on by the lowest member of the big girl flock)
SO now I am trying to integrate the 7 kids into the flock of big girls & teens. The teens are the ones doing most of the picking from what I've seen so far. (they have been able to see each other for the past 8 weeks, as they share a common wall of the run) The big girls will give a peck here & there, but the teens chase the kids till they scream like they are being killed.
So really my question is......is this a normal pecking order behavior??? That the lowest in the pecking order will be the ones that are pecking on the youngest ones?? I have 1 cockrel, but he is one of the kids. Also, once they are all the same size & living together, will the pecking order change again?
Thanks!!
SO now I am trying to integrate the 7 kids into the flock of big girls & teens. The teens are the ones doing most of the picking from what I've seen so far. (they have been able to see each other for the past 8 weeks, as they share a common wall of the run) The big girls will give a peck here & there, but the teens chase the kids till they scream like they are being killed.
So really my question is......is this a normal pecking order behavior??? That the lowest in the pecking order will be the ones that are pecking on the youngest ones?? I have 1 cockrel, but he is one of the kids. Also, once they are all the same size & living together, will the pecking order change again?
Thanks!!
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