When does "Pecking Order"start?

[#1California Chick]

I have 9 pullets that are 15-weeks old today. So far, I have seen no evidence of "pecking order". There does not seem to be a dominate hen. Nobody keeps others away from the food, treats or water. They pretty much all dig in when I bring out a plate of mash and yogurt!! There does not seem to be any particular order to where they sit on the roost (there is enough room that they all can sit on the top roost). The first ones in tonight may be the last ones in tomorrow.

I have 3 RIRs, 2 BOs, 2 BAs and 2 BRs. The BRs seem to be the most curious and 'bravest' to check out new things. But they don't keep the others away.

I am not asking for trouble, just curious!!

Thanks!

Cindy

 

[Bpmarmstrong]

What I have heard they Start When they are very young mabey you have good chickens. I dont see any pecking order with mine either.

 

[faykokoWV]

I saw some changes in mine right before they start laying. Its almost like they're trying to be grown ups.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I have two hatches housed together. Hatch one are 17 weeks old (ee's and ee mixes). Hatch two (cuckoo marans), 14 weeks old. In my ee hatch, there is a head hen already. She's such a *^%*&~!! She is a cochin/ee mix. She does not boss around the others in her brood, but she's mean to the cuckoo marans and runs them away from the treats, grass, water, anything I've tossed in for them, she thinks is only to be eaten by her brood and not the marans. Also, I have one lap hen (ee/polish mix) that I love to pick up and love on. When I put her down, the head hen &*$&_!!! will beat her up.

I've noticed this going on for at least two weeks now, so it would be safe to say that 14/15 weeks is around when pecking order started here. Poor little marans. I'm getting ready to build another pen for them anyhow.

 

[RedStarDaddy]

I was seeing my birds squabble in the brooder. When they went to the chicken house at six weeks, the fighting for a position in the pecking order started in earnest.

RSD

 

[blurose]

This is when pecking order starts

 

[gritsar]

It starts the day they begin life together in the brooder.

 

[insiderart]

Quote:
I agree. They start working it out pretty early. May not be overly evident because they have already worked it out.

I've seen some amazing WWF Smackdown battles for dominance in the brooder. Even DH loved watching the sparring and rooting them on (and he likes to pretend not to care about them!)

 

[RedStarDaddy]

My once-dominant hen didn't care. She was the top of the heap. Before they figured out I didn't want to dress them with cornbread and serve them with gravy on the side for dinner, whenever I reached for one the bird would run -- except for the boss bird. She would square off against me and be ready to go mano-a-beako any time. Sadly, she was one of the ones that was taken when I went from 16 to 12 birds.

RSD.

 

[Happy Chooks]

For mine, it started out early. They would run at each other and their neck feathers would go up. (like hackles on a dog) And the occasional peck at the head, with a squawk from the lower level chicken.