Pecking order disruption

[chrismahon]

Had a bit of a shock this morning when I went to let Daffodil out of her coop (she's no longer a house hen) as she wasn't there. I could have sworn I put her to bed last night but then remembered I only said 'good night Dilly' and didn't actually see her.

So thinking theft I went to open the big coop. First out of the pop-hole was Dilly, so she had decided to move in with the Orpingtons and Legbars. I watched carefully. They all ate first and then it started -long established flock members challenging each other. There were scuffles breaking out all over the place and Daffodil came under attack. But having always been at the bottom of the order she just ignored the pecks completely, assumed a low posture and moved to another feeder. The challenges between hens didn't stop until I removed Dilly.

This is odd because they all free range together but this is the first time they have been enclosed together-6 hens in 7 square metres. I think the presence of an 'outsider' disrupted the flock heirarchy and they all challenged to re-establish or re-affirm it. Quite funny really. Little Mad Molly Legbar challenged big Lucy Legbar -Lucy didn't even flinch, she just glared intently down at her and let out a long and loud squawk (the only noise she makes) which was enough.

So the point I am making is that the disruption caused by the introduction of new birds to the flock is rather greater than I originally thought. I had never noticed before because I am always watching just the new birds. Has anyone else noticed this during integration?

 

[Wrigley62]

Hey Chris, not as of yet, but, I think I will in about four more weeks. This is something I will watch for.
Should I be concerned about them hurting each other? The age difference is aprox. four weeks.

Wrigley

 

[chrismahon]

It might as well be 4 years Wrigley, the problems will be the same. The top hen in each flock will fight the other and then big battle for the lower positions. At least if the flocks are about the same size you won't be getting them all attacking one or two like intruders. Injury should be very minor but you need to watch them. We've had evenly matched lower order hens fight for 30 seconds -a long time for a hen. Blood was drawn on both sides and when it was obvious it was going 'all the way' they were separated. The next time they met (an hour later) it wasn't so bad -lasted 5 seconds.

Disorientation works. Put the new younger birds in the old run and the older birds in a temporary run alongside, then mix after 3 days or more. But they need plenty of space to fight with room to run away.

 

[Sue]

I have two hens who occasionally have a go at each other! They are my original hens and have lived together since they arrived. They had a go the other day, standing up to each other and attacking combs etc. Neither of them has been seriously injured yet, just torn, bloody combs. I know what they've been doing because the first sign is blood splatters on the feeders and drinkers!! There's only 4 hens living together and they are the second and third down the line. It's always the second one down in the pecking order who starts it. There hasn't been anything change, no new birds introduced recently or any changes of any kind, so why they are doing this I really don't know!!

 

[chrismahon]

Perhaps they are just hot and grumpy Sue? Like I am at the moment.

Have noticed the top hen asserts herself regularly with the odd reminder peck but ours lower in the order will squabble, in an attempt to move upwards perhaps? Never gets to blood drawn though, that only happens with different flocks brought together.

 

[Sue]

What's interesting is that my top hen never has to do anything at all to keep her position, she has never gone for any of the others. She's the French Blue Maran. Everyone just moves out of the way if she wants to go to the feeder/drinker/corn etc!

 

[karminski]

my girls seem to be attacking each other a lot at the mo i am wander ing if its cause they are hot and stroopy as well as grumpy especailly at bed time a couple will go to bed but then come back out and attack 2 or 3 of the others and my maran is really getting picked on but also one of my pekin bantams has suddenly turned really nasty towards my 2 little dutch bantams for no reason which then makes lanky doodle attack them its quite stressfull .
i made my big 8'4 house into a 4'4 house as in time i only want bantams who will in turn have this house to themselves and i made the bantams a new house and i dont know if this is whats causing them to be grumpy .