Pecking Order Questions

[Anna Ranieri]

Oh, I was talking about the first poster who thought a rooster might help and has some VERY red birds lol!
I read your post as well, your ladies are well on their way, you've got no worries.

Ooops, sorry Your post shows straight after one of mine saying about my red RIR, so I assumed you were replying.
Thank you for the reassurance - I'm longing for the day when they form a flock rather than the fragmented they are at the moment.

 

[Chickassan]

No, actually it was my fault for the misunderstanding. I didn't quote the post.
I do know the feeling though, it is worrisome when you're waiting to have one big happy group of hens instead of squabbling school kids.

Ooops, sorry Your post shows straight after one of mine saying about my red RIR, so I assumed you were replying.
Thank you for the reassurance - I'm longing for the day when they form a flock rather than the fragmented they are at the moment.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

No, actually it was my fault for the misunderstanding. I didn't quote the post.
I do know the feeling though, it is worrisome when you're waiting to have one big happy group of hens instead of squabbling school kids.

Will it get better?

 

[Chickassan]

Eventually it will, hens have moody periods too and much like us they get over it. It just takes time, it is much harder on us to watch than for them to squabble. That is being a keeper though, we worry.

Will it get better?

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Eventually it will, hens have moody periods too and much like us they get over it. It just takes time, it is much harder on us to watch than for them to squabble. That is being a keeper though, we worry.

Thank you! I am very encouraged by all you have told me, and thinking about It, it makes sense, my two middle chickens have only been laying for about 6 or so weeks and my youngest is POL so probably hormones are still unsettled and although I try my best not to humanize things, hormones are hormones what ever the species, so perhaps they just need time to balance and settle. I feel a lot better about things now, thank you so much for your help

 

[Chickassan]

You are so very welcome. Knowing a little more about your girls, I can definitely tell you it will be just fine.
Those first few weeks prior to and just past POL are awful! No wonder you were fretting.

Thank you! I am very encouraged by all you have told me, and thinking about It, it makes sense, my two middle chickens have only been laying for about 6 or so weeks and my youngest is POL so probably hormones are still unsettled and although I try my best not to humanize things, hormones are hormones what ever the species, so perhaps they just need time to balance and settle. I feel a lot better about things now, thank you so much for your help

 

[Abubakar45]

Aw, what a sweet story... thanks for sharing.
Isn't pecking order just baffling sometimes?! It seems so unfair to us humans, but somehow it's a necessary part of flock survival. As long as nobody's drawing blood, it's just something we have to put up with.

It seems to be a pretty normal occurrence that hens always want the same nest box no matter how many others are available. Sometimes 2 or 3 will squeeze it together. I've heard a good solution is to remove one (or more) of the box dividers to make a long nesting area to fit more hens. And maybe put some fake eggs or golf balls in the other boxes you want them to use. Sometimes it works, but sometimes they're just stubborn.

I did what you said yesterday and separated them, but at night the RIR's hogged the coop and wouldn't let the new girls in. And all of them want to be in the coop because its winter and 30 degrees farenhieght up here and theres a heat lamp in there.

 

[feathermaid]

RIR's hogged the coop and wouldn't let the new girls in. And all of them want to be in the coop because its winter and 30 degrees farenhieght up here and theres a heat lamp in there.

Where do the ones left out go during the night? You honestly don't need the heat lamp in the coop... it can cause more problems than it's worth, especially without adequate ventilation. Please read:
The Question of Supplemental Heat

Chickens are very well adapted to the cold, and if you keep adding heat, they will not climatize properly. If you wait until after dark, so the coop is dark inside, you can just pick up the new girls and set them on the roost next to the RIRs. Chickens do not have good eyesight at all in the dark and won't do much protesting... they just pretty much stay put, that's why they're easy to catch at night (and very vulnerable to predators). If you do that for several nights in a row, it should just become a routine. Be sure to watch them in the morning to make sure they're still getting along. Separating during the day for a while longer may still be helpful if you're not around to keep an eye on them.