Question Regarding Unusual Head Hen Behavior

[Tyranno-Chicken Rex]

So apparently the hen at the top of the pecking order is called the “head hen”?
Well a hen in my flock who I previously thought was the head hen is behaving strangely by sleeping in the doorway of the henhouse at night instead of on the roosts with the other chickens. I read this is normal if the chicken is at the bottom of the pecking order but I was sure she was the flock leader…
I did some research online and decided to watch my chickens behavior when I got home from school to see if the pecking order changed or something..? When I refilled their feeder I noticed that one of my chickens was eating first and after a few minutes she just kind of retired to the henhouse, but it didn’t seem like she was bossing around the others, per se, not like giving them a look or pushing them away when they came to eat; the only behavior I noticed was that she ate first and left quickly.
I’m pretty sure the chicken was Followup (kind of hard to tell because she looks so similar to another chicken).

Long story short, a chicken I thought was the head hen was sleeping in the doorway instead of on a roost inside; is this ever normal?

 

[Mrs. K]

I don't think it is anything to worry about. They are chickens and get strange notions. I personally thing the pecking order is a rather fluid thing. If you are having difficulty figuring it out, it is generally a good thing, because it means that it is not that big of deal to your chickens.

Mrs. Feathers was the higher arch matriarch, without a doubt, until she molted. Then she just rather faded away. Now the rooster, in his juvenile stage was dragged around the chicken yard by Mrs. Feathers, and gave her wide spread respect and did NOT get in her space for months.

Now though, I notice, he has come into his own, and she is almost done molting, and last night they were side by side on the roost.

If they are active, eating and bright eyed, nothing to worry about. I think pecking order tends to be worse in cramped quarters.

Mrs K

 

[Tyranno-Chicken Rex]

I don't think it is anything to worry about. They are chickens and get strange notions. I personally thing the pecking order is a rather fluid thing. If you are having difficulty figuring it out, it is generally a good thing, because it means that it is not that big of deal to your chickens.

Mrs. Feathers was the higher arch matriarch, without a doubt, until she molted. Then she just rather faded away. Now the rooster, in his juvenile stage was dragged around the chicken yard by Mrs. Feathers, and gave her wide spread respect and did NOT get in her space for months.

Now though, I notice, he has come into his own, and she is almost done molting, and last night they were side by side on the roost.

If they are active, eating and bright eyed, nothing to worry about. I think pecking order tends to be worse in cramped quarters.

Mrs K

Oh, ok. Thanks!

 

[RoyalChick]

So apparently the hen at the top of the pecking order is called the “head hen”?
Well a hen in my flock who I previously thought was the head hen is behaving strangely by sleeping in the doorway of the henhouse at night instead of on the roosts with the other chickens. I read this is normal if the chicken is at the bottom of the pecking order but I was sure she was the flock leader…
I did some research online and decided to watch my chickens behavior when I got home from school to see if the pecking order changed or something..? When I refilled their feeder I noticed that one of my chickens was eating first and after a few minutes she just kind of retired to the henhouse, but it didn’t seem like she was bossing around the others, per se, not like giving them a look or pushing them away when they came to eat; the only behavior I noticed was that she ate first and left quickly.
I’m pretty sure the chicken was Followup (kind of hard to tell because she looks so similar to another chicken).

Long story short, a chicken I thought was the head hen was sleeping in the doorway instead of on a roost inside; is this ever normal?

I won’t position myself as any kind of expert, but in my experience so far many chickens have not been issued the instruction manual.
Mine routinely do strange things that seem to fly in the face of what the books/internet say they should be doing.
My guess is she is doing that just because she feels like it. And one day she will do something different.