Pecking Order, Roosters and Bullying: Reading Flock Behavior

A flock of chickens is not a random crowd. It is a society with a rank order, rules and a lot of squabbling that looks alarming and is mostly harmless. Understanding that system helps a keeper tell the difference between normal behavior, which you can leave alone, and problems like bullying, feather pecking and cannibalism, which need action. Speckled Sussex are generally described as calm and friendly, but any flock can have trouble.

This guide explains the basics. Behavior depends on breed, age, space and individual birds, and there is no single fix for every problem. If you want to find backyard poultry workshops near you, agriculture.directory can help you find agriculture events in your area.

The Pecking Order

Chickens establish a hierarchy. The top hen gets first access to food, water and the best perch, and the bottom hen eats last. Rank is set by pecks, chases and posturing, and once it is settled, most flocks quiet down. A new bird, a bird that leaves for a while or the loss of a high-ranking hen can reshuffle the order and cause a burst of squabbling. A hen may also rank differently in different situations. This is normal, and a few pecks, a bit of chasing and some feather ruffling are not a sign of trouble.

Normal or a Problem?

Normal	Needs action
Brief pecks and chases that end quickly	One bird constantly chased and unable to eat or drink
Posturing, puffed feathers, a short squabble	Bleeding, open wounds or missing feathers on one bird
Lower-ranking hens stepping aside	A hen hiding all day or sleeping on the floor
Temporary tension after a change	Fighting that continues for days with injuries

Watch for a few minutes at feeding time. If every bird gets a turn, you are probably fine.

Common Causes of Bullying

• Too little space. Crowded birds fight. Our coop design guide gives space guidelines.
• Too few feeders and waterers. Competition for food causes pecking. Add stations in separate spots.
• Boredom. Birds with nothing to do peck each other. Provide dust baths, perches and things to scratch.
• Introductions. New birds disrupt the order, and the guide to introducing new hens explains how to do it with less conflict.
• Nutrition. A diet low in protein can contribute to feather pecking, so make sure the ration is balanced, as the guide to feeding laying hens explains.
• Heat, light and stress. Very bright lighting, heat and sudden disturbances raise aggression.
• Parasites and illness. A sick or itchy bird may be pecked or may peck herself. See the parasite guide.
• Molt. New pin feathers draw pecks, as the molting guide explains.

Feather Pecking and Cannibalism

Feather pecking is when birds pull and eat each other's feathers. It can start with boredom or a nutrition problem and spread through a flock as a habit. If skin is exposed and bleeds, cannibalism can follow quickly, since chickens are attracted to red. Treat it as urgent. Separate injured birds, find and fix the cause, and give the flock something else to do. Poultry extension programs such as University of Minnesota Extension poultry and eXtension's poultry community discuss management of feather pecking.

Fixing a Bullying Problem

1. Observe. Find out who is doing the bullying and who is being bullied, and when it happens.
2. Add space and stations. More feeders, waterers and hiding spots.
3. Add enrichment. Dust baths, hanging cabbages, logs, perches and scratch areas.
4. Check nutrition and health.
5. Protect the victim. Separate a hurt bird until she heals, and let her go back after the others have lost interest.
6. Remove a persistent bully for a few days. A short time out can drop her in the pecking order.
7. Cull if necessary. A bird that keeps injuring others and does not respond may have to go.

Roosters

A rooster watches for danger, calls hens to food and mates. With a good rooster, a flock is often calmer and better protected. Problems start when there are too many roosters for the hens. Roosters fight for rank and mating rights, and hens can be over-mated, with bare backs and injury. A common guideline is about eight to twelve hens per rooster for heavier breeds, though advice varies. If you have extra roosters, house them separately, or keep them with a small group of hens, or process surplus cockerels, as the guide to raising Sussex for meat discusses. The fertility guide covers ratios and breeding pens.

Human-Aggressive Roosters

A rooster that attacks people is dangerous, especially to children. Aggression has a genetic component and can be made worse by rough handling or by treating a rooster as a pet. Stay calm and confident, do not turn your back and avoid games that teach him to fight you. If a rooster injures people, he should not be kept or bred. Choosing calm lines matters.

Space, Perches and Layout

Plan the layout to give low-ranking birds escape routes. Add visual barriers, such as straw bales or plants, so a bird can get out of sight. Put multiple perches at different heights, wide enough to be comfortable, and give each bird room. Keep feeders and waterers away from corners where a bird can be trapped.

Common Mistakes

• Interfering in normal squabbles. Let the order settle.
• Ignoring an injured bird. Blood leads to worse trouble.
• Too many roosters. Hens and rival males suffer.
• One feeder and one waterer. Competition starts fights.
• Assuming bullying is just personality. Check space, food and health first.

Farm.fm's page on livestock on the small farm looks at what keeping animals involves, and for a laugh, see farm.fm's piece on farm eggs that finally win employee of the month.