Chooks Aloud Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Dolly, my Bluebelle is a lovely placid bird, the first to do everything and is top chook or was, should I say. I recently got two newbies. Dolly and my other girls made them welcome really quickly, especially Dolly. She was never aggressive, just gave the newbies a look. Welcomed them into her dustbath and shared her food etc. However, the speckaldy newbie has now taken over from Dolly and is chasing her all over the place. I put two food bowls down and whichever one Dolly goes to, Henrietta (the speckaldy) chases her off. I've put a bumper bit on her, to stop her pecking - but it just seems such a shame that Dolly's gone down the pecking order when she made them so welcome in the first place. Perhaps it is something to do with the speckaldy breed, as my other speckaldy also has a bumper bit on to stop her pecking feathers out. The two speckaldy's seem to have joined forces in becoming top chooks. Can a chook come back up the pecking order? Although, I don't think its in Dolly's nature to be assertive/aggressive. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I put two food bowls down and whichever one Dolly goes to, Henrietta (the speckaldy) chases her off. Try putting 3 down, as far apart as possible,so she won't be able to patrol them all at once Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I'm just guessing, but I would think the pecking order won't be set in stone just yet, especially if they are not all laying ? When I got mine , Elsie was the only one laying and was top chook ( very nice top chook though- didn't go to town with the pecking ! ) Hattie was very near the bottom. Since Hattie started laying we've noticed her working her way up the pecking order- she challenged Elsie a couple of times and got quite nasty, Elsie just took it and like you, I was a bit upset to think she'd lost her top chook status, but the last few days she seems to be back on form ,with hattie maybe 2nd or 3rd in the line up - to be honest it's hard to keep up with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 In my flock the top chook position never changes (its "evil " Ella) my maran is second. positions 3 and 4 do change though, once one of my cochins became broody the other top 2 kind of moved her up a rank (almost like she earned her new status) and the 3rd chook moved to 4th! All very complicated eh? I know how you feel though, I cant imagine my Ella not being top chook and it feels strange when it changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share Posted April 25, 2008 No, they are all laying. My original 3 I've had for 2 years and the 2 newbies for a few months. I shall just wait and see what happens. Last night when I got home and after their tea, I watched them in the run. My original 3 plus Daisy the new Amber Star all sat down together in a circle and completely shut out the new boisterous Speckaldy. It was as if they were all siding with Dolly to try and take the newbie down a peg or two. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I sometimes wonder how different we are from them. I'm part of the core group for the local exchange and trading scheme and I find myself thinking of us (all women as it happens) as hens. I may not be able to keep a straight face at our next meeting! Hope that it all works out for you though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I do know how you feel, but do remember that chickens don't necessarily think like we do (although I do like your analogy, AbbeyRoad!) It's very easy to impose our moral code of 'fairness', 'sharing', 'be polite to guests and strangers' on them ... anyone who has lobbed a cherry tomato into the chicken run and then stood back, will know that chickens have a very different code! I still feel sorry for my smallest one, but I noticed recently she's developed a cunning technique of darting in, grabbing the treat from under the beaks of the bigger ones, and then legging it to the far end of the run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...