The Pecking Circle

[xBRIANx]

Our 4 pullets, who are close to a year old, have a strange dynamic: there is a "pecking circle" rather than the traditional top to bottom thing. The top chicken pecks only on number 2, the second and third both peck on the littlest chicken who is the bottom one. Here is the weird part- the chicken on the bottom pecks and dominates the top chicken! The majority of pecking that goes on is the little bottom chicken pecking on the top chicken when she tries to eat or squat. Anyone seen that kind of thing before?

 

[Preservation Acres]

Funny thing is I'm seeing a similar situation for the first time. I just added a crazy, loud, and very timid leghorn hen to my flock. The bird that WAS at the bottom of the pecking order won't let up on her. She's constantly chasing her and giving her a hard time. The leghorn sqwaks, flies around the run, and makes a ton of noise which scares my orpington hen at the top of the pecking order to death. When she sees the leghorn, she runs.

 

[gritsar]

There y'all go! Trying to understand chickens again.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Quote:

 

[Dixiedoodle]

but I think you are right... Just when I think I have them figured out, it all changes...