Birds of a Feather
Your primer on flock hierarchy and how to understand bird behavior.
Your primer on flock hierarchy and how to understand bird behavior.
For most backyard keepers, the second six months of their flock’s life is a lot of fun. You continue to watch the intricate dynamics and enjoy their endless antics. The purpose of this article is for you to learn about how and why chickens behave and communicate the way they do, deepening your understanding of your charges and making you a better steward.
A family of chickens, called a flock, is organized by a social structure commonly called a pecking order. Every member of the flock falls somewhere on this spectrum of dominance and submission — no one is left out. The more dominant birds are higher in the pecking order, and the more submissive birds are lower in the order. A flock’s hierarchy can be fluid and changes as birds mature or when new birds are added or others removed.
The Pecking Order
In a flock of exclusively hens, there will be one alpha female, and every other individual will be submissive to her in varying degrees. The hen ranked second in the hierarchy will be submissive only to the alpha, the hen ranked third will be submissive only to the second, and so on. In a flock of mixed genders — that is, with roosters, hens, cockerels and pullets — the males will nearly always be dominant over the females. As pullets mature, they move their way up the pecking order within the population of females. As cockerels mature, they move their way up the pecking order within the population of males, often sparking vicious battles among the mature cocks for the ultimate alpha spot. Old roosters will be challenged more frequently by younger roosters aiming to dethrone them. Fights between cocks can escalate when there are females around. On average, one rooster can adequately watch over, care for and mate with a flock of about 10 to 15 hens. In very large flocks of mixed genders (30 or more), roosters will naturally create their own small flocks and, for the most part, leave other males alone.
As with any ranked animal social structure, being a top bird has its perks. Those ranked higher in the pecking order have first dibs on food, water sources, the best treats, nesting boxes, dust-bathing spots and perches, to name a few. Dominant chickens routinely remind the more submissive birds where they rank in the hierarchy by giving warning growls, harsh glares and the occasional peck.
Maintaining the pecking order can sometimes appear cruel and unforgiving. Some chicken keepers feel compelled to remove or coddle the most submissive birds, but it’s important to remember that a balanced pecking order is actually quite harmonious. When each bird knows where she stands in the order, the whole flock is content. Plus, if you were to remove the lowest-ranked bird, the next dominant bird would simply take her place at the bottom of the totem pole; someone must always be lowest in the pecking order.
keeping The Peace
As keeper, it’s important to set the stage for a peaceful flock environment. Here are a few ways to support the social structure and keep the drama to a minimum:
Space equals peace. Give your birds enough coop and run space to allow for lower-ranked hens to seek cover and get out of a bully’s way, if necessary.
Put out enough feeders and water fonts for everyone, with multiple stations if space allows, so that submissive birds have the opportunity to eat and drink without being bullied or chased away.
Reduce bright lights in the coop or brooder. For brooders, use only red heat bulbs. If lighting is used to augment the shorter days of winter for layers, set the lights on a timer and give the flock adequate time in the dark to sleep. Daylight can be extended with artificial light for up to 16 hours to encourage continuous egg production without having ill effects on your flock. After that, allow the coop to be dark for the remainder of the night.
Be intentional about how and when you introduce new birds to an existing flock. Every time a bird joins or leaves a flock, the pecking order is reestablished. Frequent additions or subtractions can leave the birds stressed from all the reshuffling, which may in turn lead to cannibalism.
communication
Sit around a chicken coop long enough, and you’ll inevitably hear many of the vocalizations chickens use to communicate. Close observation and a bit of free time will give you a better sense of chicken communication than can be described in a book. Even so, there are a few vocalizations to listen for.
THE HEN SONG.
Some hens make a loud noise after laying an egg. This noise is affectionately referred to as a hen song. To many, a hen’s song is the quintessential chicken noise: bok, bok, bok, BA-KAK! Once a hen gets going, other girls may join in the chorus, and the song may continue for several minutes. The jury’s still out on whether this noise is a victory call at having laid her egg, an announcement to the world or an exclamation of relief.
THE SQUAWK.
A squawk can happen when a chicken is caught off guard, picked up rather roughly, or she is disputing territory or hierarchy. A squawk can also be a call of alarm, as in the case of a predator attack. It’s a loud, short vocalization but can continue in the event of an attack.
THE CHIRP.
Chirping and peeping aren’t only reserved for young chicks. Hens and roosters alike make soft chirping vocalizations as they communicate with their flock mates.
THE CLUCK.
Nearly all chickens make conversational clucking noises. These noises
are often made when the birds are relaxed and contented. Roosters often make soft clucking noises to their hens when they find something tasty to share.
THE CROON.
Crooning can be soft and sweet (such as when a hen is alerting her chicks to a food source) or a low, warning growl (such as when a broody hen tells you to keep your distance). The meaning of these low, guttural sounds is best identified in context. Take note of the other behaviors your chicken is exhibiting while making these noises, and you’ll have a better sense of what she is communicating.
integrating new Birds
There comes a time in every chicken-keeping career when the flock grows thin from losses or old hens stop laying. When this happens, it’s natural to want to add new birds to the flock. Before you bring new chicks home, it’s important to know a few things. Most importantly, adding new birds to an existing flock is not without its risks. Moving birds to new flocks can lead to the spread of disease, brutal disputes and sometimes death. Even if all of the birds are healthy, integrating groups of chickens into the same flock can be stressful and disruptive to the social structure.
As you’ve just learned, the flock’s hierarchy is vital for keeping the peace. When each member knows her place in the social order of the group, the flock is calm, content and (usually) relatively peaceful. Adding new birds disrupts this social harmony and causes stress as the birds attempt to reestablish themselves in the hierarchy. This stress, like many other kinds of stress, can manifest in varying degrees of cannibalism.
In an ideal world, new birds would never be added to an existing flock. For many of us (this author included), that is an unrealistic expectation. Whether your hens mature and egg production wanes, you cull your breeding flock and raise new chicks, or some are injured or lost, most chicken keepers undoubtedly want to add new birds over the years. Few of us have the luxury to house and care for separate flocks of chickens, so integrating is the only answer.
When you decide to add new birds to your existing flock, take a few precautions first.
Match Size to Established Flock. Add new birds only when they are fully feathered and the same physical size as the members in the established flock. If you are rearing new chicks to add to your flock, this step is critical. Chicks raised with a broody hen in the flock’s environment stand the best chance at survival growing up with the flock. Never put young chicks in with a full-grown flock of hens unless they were raised by one of the hens from hatching. Unknown chicks are often viewed as a threat and killed by others in the flock.
Consider the Breed. Do not integrate very submissive birds or “target” birds into a flock of hens of an aggressive breed. For instance, breeds with topknots or feathers around their faces that may obstruct their view, such as the Polish, are naturally submissive. Their limited vision makes them rather skittish and flighty, too. Integrating birds like this into a flock of very aggressive hens could result in longterm scuffles and miserable birds.
Add at Least Two. When adding new chickens, add at least two, preferably more, to the established flock at a time. This reduces the probability of a single bird becoming a target for cannibalism.
Boost Immunity. Boost your flock’s total immunity to prepare them for the transition by adding apple cider vinegar to their drinking water, offering a mash mixed with yogurt for healthy probiotics, or give raw garlic in mash form or through their drinking water. These natural immune boosters are inexpensive and easy to make.
Add a Rooster. Consider adding a rooster. A mature cock will quickly establish himself as
the alpha of the flock, in turn reducing the fighting among hens for the top spot. Reduce Stressors. Reduce any other stressors before integrating birds. Stressors like poultry shows, long hours or days of travel, and the strain of transportation can leave the flock irritated and distressed, having to reestablish the pecking order all over again.
When you’re ready, here are five tricks for integrating two flocks:
Quarantine any new adult birds from the established flock for three to four weeks before making the integration. This allows time to watch for signs of illness and disease. It also provides a chance to treat for any health-related problems in the new birds (ideally, you bring home only healthy chickens). If the birds you are integrating are youngsters that you have raised and have spent time on the same soil as the main flock, they are exempt from this isolation period.
Let the two flocks hear and see each other during the quarantine period by setting up housing accordingly. Of course, both flocks must have safe living quarters, roosts for sleeping, nest boxes, and food and water.
After the quarantine period, give everyone some free-range time together to get acquainted. This gives both flocks the opportunity to meet-and-greet but also allows everyone the space to take cover and hide if need be.
Gradually move the flocks closer. Move the new birds into the main flock’s housing with a barrier. A dog crate, kennel or partition fenced off is ideal for this part of the transition.
When you feel they are ready, place the new birds on the roost with the main flock after dark. This will reduce initial fighting and allow the birds to “wake up” with each other the next morning. Keep everyone together in the enclosure for the first few days. Remember, no matter how smoothly or gracefully two flocks of chickens are integrated, there will always be some fighting and show of aggression as the birds work out their new pecking order. The fighting may be as little as a few pecks here and there, or it could result in severe bullying. Always watch newly integrated flocks very closely during the first few weeks. Look for signs of injury, such as blood, loss of feathers or voluntary isolation. Treat accordingly. Also, monitor all of the birds to be sure they have access to food and water, and that no one is getting chased away in a show of dominance. As long as everyone is eating and drinking, don’t be alarmed if egg laying slows down in the first few weeks. It will pick back up when they’ve all adjusted to their new flock mates.
On rare occasions, some birds will never get along. It’s rather uncommon, but it does happen. If you find your flock in constant turmoil with endless fighting, cannibalism and/or starving birds, consider how important it is to you that you keep all of these birds together. Instead, consider culling (removing) one bird or two from the flock, and see how the dynamic changes. In my experience, removing the bully allows the flock to reorient its hierarchy. When the bully is returned, bickering may end altogether. If it doesn’t, consider making the choice to permanently remove one or more birds from your flock.
Broodiness
Broodiness is the maternal instinct of a hen to sit on a nest (or clutch) of eggs until they hatch. Just as she is going broody, a hen will lay up to 10 eggs, and then get comfortable — literally and figuratively. She’ll find a cozy nest, turn over the bedding, fluff up her bedding and get cozy. Her goal is to sit on her clutch until they hatch, about three weeks later.
While most of our favorite breeds of domestic laying hens have long since had the brooding instinct bred out of them, some breeds still have a tendency to go broody. How often this happens depends on temperament, too. Some individual chickens, regardless of their breed, are more prone to broodiness than others. Usually in conjunction with the shorter days of the fall, a hen may experience a surge of the hormone prolactin, released from her pituitary gland, which signals her body to
stop laying for a time. The proud mama-to-be focuses all of her attention on her new task and won’t be deterred.
Broody hens tend to get a bad rap. For those of us concerned with egg production, finding a broody hen can be frustrating. To boot, they can be a bit ornery, refusing to eat, drink or lay eggs, and they may even give you a “fowl” growl when you approach the nest. But brooding is only natural. How else would chickens reproduce?
watch FOR signs
How do you know if your hen has gone broody? Here are some things to watch for: Does she sit on the same nest, day after day, even after you’ve removed the eggs from under her? Does she puff up or ruffle her feathers when you come near? Does she offer a defensive, low growl or even a hiss when she’s been disturbed? Has her comb and wattle gone pale (from not leaving the nest to eat or drink)? Does she seem undeterred and focused on the task at hand? (This one is subjective, of course, but it counts.)
set a spell
With a warm nest beneath her and hormones surging, it can sometimes be an impossible task to break a hen of a broody spell. Much depends on her breed, individual disposition and how long she’s been sitting. As a rule, the earlier you catch a hen entering a broody spell, the better your chances are for breaking it. Don’t be discouraged if your hen consistently thwarts your efforts; some hens are just stubborn. Some otherwise docile hens become aggressive or defensive of their nest. Be careful and be respectful if you try to break a hen’s broody spell. If you suspect one of your girls is going broody and want to keep her from setting, act fast. After a few days of brooding, the following tips are less likely to work.
ICE.
The conditions that a broody hen strives for in her laying and hatching environment are dry, warm and dark. By removing some of these elements, you may have a chance at throwing her off her game. One old-fashioned method is to put a few ice cubes under the hen (after removing any eggs, of course). With this method, you’ll inevitably end up with a soggy nest box but maybe one less broody hen.
WATER.
A similar method removes the hen from the coop and keeps the messes outside. In an attempt to cool off the hen’s bottom, you may try gently dunking her underside in a basin of cool water. Try this method several times a day, in conjunction with temporary new housing. Avoid this method in very cold weather conditions.
WIRE.
A less-messy and lower-maintenance approach is to move your broody hen to cool, drafty, short-term housing. Combating her desire to be warm and dark, remove your broody hen and house her temporarily in a wire-bottom poultry cage or pen with good airflow beneath the cage. (This is the one and only time that wire-bottom pens and drafty housing will be recommended.) Provide her with food and water, of course, but do not give her a nest box or nesting material. Try this method for only a short amount of time — a few days to a week.
Broody hens aren’t all bad; in fact, many backyard chicken keepers find immense joy at hatching their own eggs with one of their hens. Children especially love to watch chicks hatch, learn to forage and grow up with their mother hen — it can be a valuable and beautiful life experience. Letting your broody hen hatch her own eggs is also a great way to add new birds to your flock safely. Just be prepared to rehome any roosters if your city forbids them.
rooster rules
Most municipalities do not allow roosters within city limits and with good reason: They’re really noisy. Although pop culture
associates roosters with crowing at dawn, they don’t reserve their boisterous vocalizations for daybreak alone. Roosters crow all day long. They are always on the alert for danger, so they’ll crow if they hear or see anything loud or out of the ordinary — that could be kids playing, a car alarm or a door slamming. The rooster’s crow is also his territorial calling card. He’s letting other males in the area know that this is his turf and his flock.
If your city does allow roosters, you may want to consider reading on. Roosters can and do play an important role in the social dynamic of chickens. Keeping a rooster with a flock of laying hens can be beneficial in many ways. Here are a few to consider.
THE PROS
Roosters protect the flock from predators. A good rooster — meaning one who does his job — will put himself between his hens and any danger. If a predator attacks the flock, he will fight the intruder, to the death if necessary. If he’s not able to fight, he will do his best to buy some time to allow the hens to get away. He’s always on the alert with one eye to the sky and the other pointed anywhere else a killer may be lurking.
A rooster means fertilized eggs. If you dream of hatching your own chicks, there’s no better place to start than with your own fertile eggs. Roosters copulate with their hens throughout the day, so if there is a young, healthy rooster among your hens, you can be fairly certain they are laying fertilized eggs.
Keeping a rooster in your flock will eliminate many social disputes. As long as he is mature, most roosters move immediately into the alpha position within the hierarchy. Hens will still squabble to establish their individual status in the rest of the flock’s pecking order, but fights will be significantly reduced. If scuffles between the ladies continue, the rooster will step in and put a stop to it.
A rooster ensures that everyone’s needs are met. When he finds something tasty to eat, he’ll croon to his ladies and let them have first dibs.
THE CONS
For the same reason that roosters make good protectors, they can also be poor additions to family flocks. They are aggressive by nature. We all know someone who grew up on or near a farm and had a poor, if not traumatic, experience with a nasty rooster. For their size, roosters are incredibly strong and their spurs long and sharp. They move quickly and fight dirty, too. They’ll wait until your back is turned for an opportunity to strike. That said, there are exceptions to every rule, of course. Some roosters can and do make excellent family pets.
Roosters do indeed service hens regularly. Some males have only one thing on their mind, to the detriment of the flock. These roosters can inflict serious damage on a small flock of hens. Torn combs and pulled-out neck feathers (where the rooster grips onto the hen) and missing saddle feathers and exposed skin from the rooster’s feet are some of the injuries an overly mated hen may experience. The most dominant hen in the flock is usually the rooster’s favorite, and he’ll likely mate with her more frequently than the rest of the hens.
Roosters are indeed noisy. They’ll crow throughout the day, often loudly and sometimes frequently. If you live very close to a neighbor, or if the coop is near a window or close to your own home, consider how comfortable you are with the noise before adding a rooster to your flock.
Of course, there’s absolutely no harm in keeping a ladies-only henhouse. Hens will lay eggs whether or not there is a rooster around since a hen’s laying cycle is determined by her own hormones, not the presence of a male. Of course, you’ll need a rooster if you want fertilized eggs.
watch and learn
No matter how many chickens you keep, or if you decide to keep a rooster with them, you will benefit from spending time watching your flock. The more you understand chicken behavior, the better you can meet your birds’ needs and the healthier they will be in the long run. ■
Kristina Mercedes Urquhart writes for Chickens magazine and is the author of the book The Suburban Chicken. She lives on a homestead in North Carolina, where she grows her own food and raises livestock.