pecking order

[Red Barn Farms]

Hello CraziChickLady, Greetings from Kentucky!

 

[aaabirdman]

Welcome to BYC

 

[weimarmama]

& from Alabama. Glad you joined us.

 

[Donna Lynn]

You are going to love this web site and learn a lot!

 

[liz9910]

 

[CluckyCharms]

We've only had our chicks for a half day (and they are wide awake at the moment, peeping profusely while I ponder my sanity). In all seriousness though - I do enjoy their peeping...until one screams because the other one pecked them in the eyeball - then I flip a biscuit.

Anyway, thus far the pecking order is as follows:

Silkie (runt of her clutch, too) and she's the boss
Welsummer - still trying to compete with the Silkie but failing miserably
Silver Spangled Hamburg - totally going with the flow and not caring who has what rung on the ladder
Mille fleur d'Uccle - same as the hamburg. Both of them are just 'chillin chicks'.

It's weird to me - I SURELY thought the Welsummer would be lead pullet because of sheer size/mass. That silkie is ever so tiny and she's clearly going to rule the roost - weird. Then again - maybe it's because she's a boy. I pray she isn't.

 

[CraziChickLady]

thank you all for the comments it helped out alot i tryed the mealworms and the one rir didnt get much i felt bad so i fed her from my hand away from the others lol. also i think your right about getting a good spot in the coop cuz when i peek in there when there going to bed at night they make alot of noise moving around and stepping on each other so cute

 

[pigeonguy]

Pecking order as a norm stays the same. There are circumstances that can interrupt it though ie: a new pullet or hen is introduced to the flock. They have to find their place in the flock and could possibly fight for the top spot. If she wins order has changed. If top hen gets sick a younger one may try to take her spot. If same hen recovers she might want it back. As I said before though it generally stays the same in an established healthy flock.

 

[chickenlovex3]

the pecking order is like a clique. theres the alpha chicken, whos the boss of the other chickens and can be mean to the other chickens. then theres the other members of the cliqe who "worrship" the alpha. and then theres the nerdy loser who the alpha chicken is mean to.

 

[fivekidsand3lab]

My little girls are almost 3 wks and one is being particular bossy. Is it too early to clip wings and would this calm her down? I understand that a pecking order is needed but it's a bit ridiculous. She has the longest feathers and it seems to be a contest of who can fluff themselves up and spread out their wings the biggest. Is this how they establish the pecking order? She stands up real tall, stretches her neck out to make herself taller than the other 10 chicks and if one of them looks at her she charges them and jumps on them feet first! Seems mean, I'm new to chickens though so I'm just wondering if this is normal.

I'm a tad smitten with the little darlings and may or may not spend quite a lot of time watching them in their brooder box while talking to them haha.

Thanks for any help or answers in advance.