The Secret to the Pecking Order

[BuffOrps32]

**Please Note, this is in my experience, so possibly wrong**
*Put in the names as a wolf pack*
Alpha:
Often a rooster and another hen. In some cases it can be, a rooster and rooster or hen and hen. These chickens eat first and protect the flock. They have first pick of the roost bar, as seen in my barn, and are in charge. They can be challenged and knocked down a rank by other roosters or hens.

Beta:
Is usually the three to four hens underneath of the Alphas. They eat after them and watch over the mid rankers in the alphas absence. They are the next strongest hens and when the alpha hen or rooster die they fight amongst themselves and choose the next alpha. Then the mid rankers fight to choose another beta.

Mid Ranker:
They have two sets in them. Lower and Upper Rankers, each has its own privileges involved. Upper eat after the Betas and get to dominate over the Omegas and Lower Rankers. Lower Rankers will often fight with Uppers to get up the ranks and this often is where fights will occur. The omegas fight it hard to get out of their rank but it has happened.

Omegas:
These are often new roosters that aren't alphas or bantams in a flock of standard chickens. Omegas are often beat up and they have to be submissive to every chicken. They eat last and good owners will set out extra food for them. Some do not but they put out plenty of food every day, these chickens often do get to eat but it can be tough with the other ranks.

**Please Note, this is in my experience, so possibly wrong**
I noticed that this was how my flock worked and decided to post about it. Anyone who has a word of advice or notice a wrong fact, feel free to tell me.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think that is a fairly accurate description.
And you noted how that can change. Removing a bird from the flock for a day will really upset the balance.
Excellent advice on providing multiple feed and water stations. That can't be overstated.

 

[BuffOrps32]

I think that is a fairly accurate description.
And you noted how that can change. Removing a bird from the flock for a day will really upset the balance.
Excellent advice on providing multiple feed and water stations. That can't be overstated.

Thanks so much!

 

[adstowe]

I had a bantam polish roo that went all Jackie Chan on a EE roo I brought home. It was hilarious. The EE would jump at him to try and spur him and he'd just run underneath him while he was in the air and then attack him from behind. This went on for a few minutes, then the EE (who was three times his size) realized he'd been defeated by this pint sized ninja and ran in fear with a tiny little guy, sporting a 80's rock star hair cut , chasing after him to drive home the humiliation. I know it's not really relevant, but you bantams were omegas in a standard size flock reminded me of it.

 

[BuffOrps32]

I had a bantam polish roo that went all Jackie Chan on a EE roo I brought home. It was hilarious. The EE would jump at him to try and spur him and he'd just run underneath him while he was in the air and then attack him from behind. This went on for a few minutes, then the EE (who was three times his size) realized he'd been defeated by this pint sized ninja and ran in fear with a tiny little guy, sporting a 80's rock star hair cut , chasing after him to drive home the humiliation. I know it's not really relevant, but you bantams were omegas in a standard size flock reminded me of it.

I understand, in some cases it isn't true but for me that was always how it worked lol

 

[aart]

Pretty good observations.....wonders how many birds in your flock and how you have time to observe all that.

 

[BuffOrps32]

Pretty good observations.....wonders how many birds in your flock and how you have time to observe all that.

I have had a constantly changing flock and I often just sit outside and watch them. At one point I had about 34 chickens. In that were some bantams and extra roosters.

 

[Shadrach]

I see something a bit different here.
I don’t think roosters are in the pecking order as such. It’s primarily a hen thing.
I also don’t think a pecking order as is commonly ascribed to chickens actually exists. There is a hierarchy and it seems role allocation within a group.
Part of my reasoning for coming to this conclusion is jungle fowl do not live in large enough social groups for such an order to be necessary. If for example as is reported by those who have studied the habits of jungle fowl they tend to live in groups of a senior couple, hen and rooster and possibly offspring. The one rooster and many hens arrangement is an arrangement produced by human keeping and not something that occurs naturally.
Here, when the groups are sufficiently large to warrant some kind of hierarchy to maintain order and stability it has always been the most senior hen by age that has led the group. The rooster/s of the group follow the senior hen and herd the other hens in order to keep a tight grouping where any warning calls or found food calls can be heard.
It also seems from my observations that it is usually the second most junior who responds to hen aggression from other groups and not the senior hen.
My belief is that it is the human keeping arrangements that the chickens adapt to that produce what would seem to be a pecking order. It’s also my belief that this order is far more complicated than we tend to acknowledge.

 

[BuffOrps32]

I see something a bit different here.
I don’t think roosters are in the pecking order as such. It’s primarily a hen thing.
I also don’t think a pecking order as is commonly ascribed to chickens actually exists. There is a hierarchy and it seems role allocation within a group.
Part of my reasoning for coming to this conclusion is jungle fowl do not live in large enough social groups for such an order to be necessary. If for example as is reported by those who have studied the habits of jungle fowl they tend to live in groups of a senior couple, hen and rooster and possibly offspring. The one rooster and many hens arrangement is an arrangement produced by human keeping and not something that occurs naturally.
Here, when the groups are sufficiently large to warrant some kind of hierarchy to maintain order and stability it has always been the most senior hen by age that has led the group. The rooster/s of the group follow the senior hen and herd the other hens in order to keep a tight grouping where any warning calls or found food calls can be heard.
It also seems from my observations that it is usually the second most junior who responds to hen aggression from other groups and not the senior hen.
My belief is that it is the human keeping arrangements that the chickens adapt to that produce what would seem to be a pecking order. It’s also my belief that this order is far more complicated than we tend to acknowledge.

I agree that we tend to make a lot less complicated than it is. Thanks for the info, it's much appreciated.

 

[aart]

I have had a constantly changing flock and I often just sit outside and watch them. At one point I had about 34 chickens. In that were some bantams and extra roosters.

Ah, changing flock members will skew the pecking order...but also maybe show the existing one.