The Bullied Now The Bully

[so lucky]

The lowest girl in the pecking order has been an EE who runs from every other chicken, even though there is only one other girl who does most of the bullying. Today I see that her face is redder than usual (she's been laying for a couple of months) and she is attacking one of the other EEs. Chasing her and chest bumping, hackles raised, the whole shebang. She has never been aggressive at all before. It's like she is on steroids all of a sudden. She still runs from most of the other girls, but she is taking out all her hostilities on the other meek girl.

There has been no other changes in the flock, no additions or subtractions. There does seem to be a shuffle in the roosting arrangement, lately, too. Is she just extra "hormonal"? Any other ideas on why the change in personality/status?

You know, now that I think back, something sort of similar happened with my last batch of chickens, but on a more subdued level, where the low girl worked her way up to the top position. Not as violently, though. Even my boot-scooting her today didn't faze her.

 

[sourland]

The social order of chickens (pecking order) is ever fluid with lower ranked birds trying to improve their position and higher ranked birds trying to hold their position. Sort of like 'mean girls in high school'.