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

[Steve J]

My new hens are red sex links and they get along great. Hardly notice any pecking order at all. The ones I had before were mixed and a barred rock was a terrible bully. She would lay into a buff's head with everything she had every time the rooster mounted her. Now the bully hen is all I have left of the old flock and she will not get along with any of the red sex links. I've kept her out of the pen all summer, gave her chance after chance and she will act ok a day or two, then I'll see her swinging that beak at the entire group! None of them will stand up to her and the rooster ignores it, so she's out. I won't tolerate her extreme aggression, so she can just free range on the outside.

 

[shadowfox]

I've got my first group a chickens, 3 EEs, 3 Barred Rocks, and 2 Australorps. They are two months old. Even from just a few weeks old I could tell who was going to be the dominant hen. One of my EEs has always been the leader. When she talks everyone else listens. It's really interesting to watch. If she sounds alarm at anything the other girls run for cover and stay silent until she says so. I don't know much about chicken behavior yet, but I've always assumed that is what a rooster does, not a hen.

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

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

Thank you! I was hoping that was the answer. They have plenty of room, two feeding areas, and I will add some toys. When Winnie was in the solarium there was a can in the corner. The next day, it was in the middle of the floor so she was playing with it!

Do you have toys for your flock? If so, what kinds?

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

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!

I laughed out loud at your "chickens are not for sane individuals..." This is absolutely true!

 

[Teila]

We have a pecking order within our 5 bantam flock which has been stable for a while but was interesting to watch develop.

Our matriarch #1 is definitely the boss but she appears to leave all the day to day management to her 2IC.

It was fascinating to watch #5 work her way up to #3.

So, everyone bows down to #1 including #2. No one messes with #1 but she pretty much goes about her own business unless someone gets in her face.

#2 takes care of the day to day management but while #1 ignores everyone, #2 is kind to all.

#3 picks on #4 and #5 and #4 picks on #5. However, #2 is #5’s best buddy and at roost time, I have to ensure that #5 is next to #2 with no-one on the other side. If #5 gets picked on too much, she will run to #2 for protection.

Just last night, the roost order was #5 with a long gap and then #1, #2, #3 and #4. So, I switched #1 and #2 which then allowed #5 to be able to mooch along the roost and snuggle up to her buddy

 

[Susan Dye]

I have only four hens and one is two wks older than the others. She is the head hen. She challenges the dogs when they get too close to the fencing, she calls the alarm when there is danger, and she keeps the peace among the other hens. But, I did notice just today, that while she was in the hen house laying her egg, one of the other hens took over for her. She, the #2 hen, not only challenged the dogs, she also chased off a squirrel who thought he could help himself to some treats that were in their yard. It will be interesting to see what they do if or when I get another one or two hens. I don't have a rooster because they are not allowed here in the city. But, I think Lilly does a pretty good job as acting rooster

 

[Shell83]

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For chickens, the pecking order is an important part of the flock dynamics and a way for the flock to establish and maintain order and look after the stronger members, while pushing out the weaker ones. Human flock owners are often included in this order, especially when there are roosters in the flock and that can throw up some interesting challenges for especially new or inexperienced chicken owners.

This week I would like to hear your thoughts and experiences with handling this interesting part of chicken keeping.

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Pic by @venetianblinds​

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

I'm really new to the chicken world and thoroughly enjoying it! I have definitely noticed a pecking order. All chicks were hatched together, but there is one hen that is not allowed to be around the others. She has to forage on her own - and is never welcomed into the flock. Is there something I should do to try and get her included, or is this just the way it is? I feel like she needs a buddy She seems completely healthy, but she is all alone when it comes to the flock. I feel bad for her.

 

[Iluveggers]

I'm really new to the chicken world and thoroughly enjoying it! I have definitely noticed a pecking order. All chicks were hatched together, but there is one hen that is not allowed to be around the others. She has to forage on her own - and is never welcomed into the flock. Is there something I should do to try and get her included, or is this just the way it is? I feel like she needs a buddy She seems completely healthy, but she is all alone when it comes to the flock. I feel bad for her.

What breed is she? What breeds are the others?

 

[Oldegarlicshnapp]

What does it mean when one bird is perched on its own when the others are huddled on top of each other to be in another, separate spot?

 

[bhawk-23]

I'm really new to the chicken world and thoroughly enjoying it! I have definitely noticed a pecking order. All chicks were hatched together, but there is one hen that is not allowed to be around the others. She has to forage on her own - and is never welcomed into the flock. Is there something I should do to try and get her included, or is this just the way it is? I feel like she needs a buddy She seems completely healthy, but she is all alone when it comes to the flock. I feel bad for her.

I have a couple different ways I deal with this situation. I cannot just leave it alone, which is probably recommended, because of my human feelings being projected to the chickens.

First, if there is active bullying I assert myself as the dominant flock member. If one goes to peck at, or run off, lower hen I step in-between them and, if warranted, I will peck the bully hen. If the pecking turns to chasing I have submitted the bully as a rooster would do. That has only happened a few times in 2.5 yrs of having chickens though. And that was only used for an aggressive bullying of a hen in retreat. I mostly just step in between and say "hey" loudly.

But when the lowest hen has a confidence issue that makes her perpetuate her bottom hen role I usually befriend her. I sneak treats on the sly so she can have her own. I place food for her in special areas out of the others sight. Basically, make sure she is eating well and getting all the same treats that the others are getting. In my experience, they will either get confident enough to start inching closer and closer to the flock or they learn to seek out my company and extra attention. Either way, they seemed happier and I feel less sad, which I know is really the issue at hand

Besides, I love being top rooster. The girls flock to me and follow me all around. They know my different calls for mash, regular treats or when I find a slew of bugs. They respond to my presence and voice unlike anyone else's. And THAT is my human feelings and needs being projected to my animals in all it's raw glory