Sometimes you can't, if the pecking order is working just fine. Some folks say you can tell by who comes out of the coop first in the morning, but I haven't found that to be the case. Mine just tumble out every which way.
Our dominent girl wonders off alone, the others can't stand to be 6 inches from each other. And if they see her walk off they fly to catch her. Shes our loudest & most interactive girl too!!!
Bernadette, one of my NH Reds, is the top hen. When they were chicks, she would sleep alone, while the others would sleep all piled on top of each other. And she is almost always the first one out of the coop in the morning when I open the door. Sometimes my #2 will come out first, Delia, a Speckled Sussex, but the two girls sometimes walk together, I think they are sharing the top spot. But Bernadette gets the most coveted spot on the top rung out of three on the roost we built, and her spot is right next to the window. I love looking out and seeing her peeking out the window! But luckily, my girls don't peck at each other...at least not right now!
we do have one chicken that wanders off but the others dont follow i thought the top chicken was this big chicken that always is watching the sky and it almost seemes like she is trying to keep them together one time these voltures were flying low and when it would come near that chicken would make a weird noise and all the chickens would go in the coop do you think that chicken is the leader
