Roo Fight!

[KelsiNS]

We had our first spar last night between Boot and Hershey (NHR and EE-8 weeks). Hackles raised, a few spurs, chest bumping...standing taller...

I laughed so hard. Hershey is easily twice the size of Boot and got bored pretty fast. He just went back to eating, leaving Boot looking angrily at the end of his tail.

I think the hierarchy has been sorted!

 

[GuppyTJ]

What a hoot! It's fun to watch as whoever looks away first or runs off or goes back to eating is the loser. The one holding the stance the longest wins.

I've notice too, that the pecking order continues to change as they mature. So, the first to crow shoots up the hierarchy. The first to lay an egg, etc. And for some reason, the order just changes, as they leap frog each other for no reason that us humans can see. I understand it gets pretty well set after they all reach maturity. But then, it changes again whenever you add or subtract members of the flock. And... us humans can influence the pecking order. I have removed overly dominant cockerals for a week and put them off by themselves, then re-introduced them and they end up at or very near the bottom of the pecking order.

Interesting stuff!
Guppy