Topic of the Week - Chicken behaviour and flock dynamics - Part 1 - The pecking order

[Pater est Pullis]

I'm concerned about the low girl, mine seems timid and stays away from the flock. I don't know if this is a temporary issue, the flock was just introduced to the run and a new hen.

 

[Folly's place]

Having enough space, and places where birds can go to avoid each other, really helps to keep the peace. Right now I have three roosters, two cockerels, and thirty-eight hens and pullets, both standards and bantams. They have been raised together over the years, and all get along well. Most days they can free range, and then they separate into three groups, heading in different directions.
Watching them is totally entertaining!
In spring, the newly adult cockerels may not get along with the older cocks, and then some may move on. I don't ever keep human aggressive birds, or any that disrupt the group. No feather picking or just nasty hens either!
Long ago I gave up on production reds; too nasty in the flock!
No Silkies either, or Favorelles, as they are too mild mannered in the mixed group.
The young birds gradually move into the flock; first they learn to be polite and get out of the way of the adults, then over the months, they integrate into the group.
Chicks hatched and raised together tend to be 'family', sometimes for life, regardless of breed.
Mary

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Flock dynamics are indeed interesting. For fun, I have been known to toss a coveted treat out into the middle of the yard on a hot summer day and watch while sipping a coke. The chicken rugby, keep away, that ensues is better than any Sunday football.

As to actual pecking order settlement (rather than a bit of running over a treat they all can share equally), I have generally seen the hardest fighters to be at the bottom of the pecking order as a new member came into the flock. They were determined to not be usurped and pushed further down the chain.

But having a good rooster definitely eases flock tensions and helps tremendously with integrating new pullets. My poor Barney gets a work out when a new member comes in, or worse, the young pullets come into lay and squabbles start over nest boxes (and yes, they have enough boxes, with plenty of room, salted with fake eggs...there is always one GOLDEN box they simply must get).

Having a good rooster and broody hens also helps with flock integration tremendously. When momma comes out of the nursery with her little fluffs in tow, my wonderful roo is immediately at her side shooing away overly nosy hens and preventing squabbles. He keeps a close eye on my girls. The babes grow within the flock seamlessly integrating as they grow.

Without a rooster, it is indeed a scramble until one of the hens takes top spot. She often can be rather bossy and prevents others joining the flock....like the new pullets....who tend to stay in a subflock, even months later.

But a good rooster is eager to increase his harem, so does his little dance, calms disputes, and soon the pullets are fully integrated.

Flock dynamics are very interesting to watch with aerial predators. I often don't see the hawk until afterwards, but my Barney has alerted the girls who dive for cover. Those that are further out in forage carefully zig back to Barney. They literally look like soldiers running across a battle field in zig zag, dive, hide, run.

And my broodies, flying off the nest with screeches for diversion is hysterical (and that's without hawks). Brooding hens are a whole new dimension. Watching momma teach her chicks to scratch and hunt, then settling in to warm them (with all the little heads poking out here and there). I nearly died of laughter one day as a momma decided she needed to move the whole brood over to another spot. She "lifted her skirts" and I saw this little cavalcade of feet shuffling beneath her as she maneuvered the whole gang to a better location.

I have my computer/library room, which has lots of windows, facing the chicken yard. I've spent more than one morning enjoying a cup of coffee watching the bird show outside.

LofMc

 

[ThesuburbHENyard]

I had a bully hen (Minerva, SL Wyandotte) who pecked two of my other girls bloody. I finally ended up having to "rehab" her following the Chicken Chicks plan. When I red-introduced, she was no longer the bully. Luna (Red Production X) was!! And she was pecking them, too! I started hanging treats and providing more entertainment in the small coop, and that seems to have solved the problem. I think I had a boredom problem, not necessarily a bully problem.

 

[igorsMistress]

I have only intervened in flock dynamics because we had a rooster that was rough on the girls and human aggressive as well. He's no longer in my flock.
I always make sure there are a few feed and water options throughout the yard and when I throw out treats they're spread far and wide.
I have two girls that squabble over their favorite spot at roost time but I let them figure it out. It never amounts to more than a few pecks.
My coop is ample with plenty of roost space. My flock has the entire yard to roam all day and lots of bushes and trees so they don't have to share.

 

[azygous]

The key to understanding flock dynamics or the social order of a flock, often referred to as the pecking order, is to grasp the fact that each individual in a flock has the task of relating to each other individual in the flock.

Some folks who have small flocks marvel that their chickens all seem to get along with few if any conflicts. One of the things that makes such peace and tranquility possible is the relative low number of individuals that each member is required to adjust their own temperaments to.

Another factor that contributes to peace in a flock is space. As in Mary's flock, even though she has a relatively high number, they get along well probably because they free range and this relieves the stress of numbers.

Then there are other factors such as breed and individual temperament that contribute to conflict or peace in a flock. One can make a blanket prediction that a mixed flock of RIRs and Cochins, opposite in general temperament, confined in large numbers won't be conducive to a peaceful flock. On the other hand, a flock of two Brhamas and two Cochins will probably be a predictably conflict-free flock, even in confinement due to the placid temperament of these breeds.

Understanding how it is that each chicken in a flock has a relationship with each other individual, you will be prepared for the disruption that introducing new chickens into a flock can cause. Even though a flock has been peaceful up to that point, the appearance of new chickens can upset the whole balance since everyone now needs to relate, not only to the new members, but to each existing member in a different way.

Everyone says chickens are fun to watch, but not that many say that flock keeping is easy.

 

[shawthorne44]

To me, watching the flock dynamics is one of the most interesting parts of keeping chickens. They can be ruthless in their vying for top spot!

Settling down for the night was always something to see. In my old coop, there was one roosting bar that went around the interior on 2 sides. Even though the bar was all the same height, they'd squabble for whatever was the "best" spot for the night. I thought having the roosting bar the same height all way around, would solve the "who's on top" argument, but those chickens proved me wrong.

I did the same. I made sure that ALL the roosting spots were as high as possible with a ramp up. DH thought that they could just move over from the ramp landing. We have 19 hens. But, noooo. They all want to be near the ramp. So, I had DH add another ramp to the other side. Now that there is poop trays just underneath, they can get to any roost, they still crowd into the more desirable real estate.

I admit to favoring the underdogs. For example, when I toss something good out, I'll do several locations. Then the hens that can't crowd in get their own little source of goodies.

I haven't really seen any pecking order stuff, except for being crowded out of good food. When roosting is the only time they can't free-range. But, when they started to squat for us because they were starting to lay sometimes another hen would see the squatting, think it was for them, and stand on top. Then the squatting hen would stand up and peck the hen that stood on her.

 

[Chickassan]

Flock dynamics here are beyond unusual right now. I've got three mixed breed girls just over a year old going through their first molt and not having any drama whatsoever. I added two faverolles pullets and a faverolles cockrel this year, those guys integrated pretty easily and the cockrel replaced a defective roo i got with my first girls. Everything was going fine, pecking order reshuffled faverolles on bottom cockrel on top absolutely perfect! Until...my husband brought a dominique pullet home and she totally flipped the pecking order off. Now she's top hen,barely below the cockrel. She spreads terror wherever she goes, gets the best food, has to have a privacy curtain to roost or she'd peck everyone senseless. The strange thing is she's no older than my faverolles 7 months and she's the smallest. Pecking orders don't always make sense apparently, i can't figure mine out to save my life!

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

It is day six of my new hen, Winnie. I had one RIR, Lucy, who is about two years old. The first two nights I had them in totally separate areas. Lucy was in the coop and I let Winnie chill in the screen porch. Days 3-5, I left them both in the coop, separated by a screen door. They were checking each other out, chatting, and all seemed fine. Yesterday, I opened the door. Lucy pecked Winnie twice and was a little aggressive. She squawked at her several times. I stayed out there and talked very calmly to them. I left and when I returned, Winnie was on the roost and Lucy was eating in a different part of the coop.

I completed a new 10' by 10' run to replace the makeshift 4' by 6' one to keep them separate. They seem to love the extra space, but Lucy is still being cranky towards my new girl. Winnie is an Ameracauna, she is about a year old.

Lucy usually lays about 4 or 5 eggs a week. This week she has laid 2. Winnie hasn't laid any yet. What else can I do to make the transition easier?

 

[Folly's place]

It will just take time for them to adjust. Any change or stress will affect egg production, and nothing you do will matter very much, as long as their basic needs are being met. Mary