Chicken Pecking

The pecking order is a well-defined hierarchical pattern of behaviour that is quite common in flocks. There is a ‘top bird’ to which the rest will defer, often giving way at the food container or generally getting out of the way. The top bird usually a cock, but in the absence of a male, an old hen may hold the position.She may continue to hold sway even if there is a male, if he happens to be young and nervous.

Just as it does in human societies the pecking order extends downwards with the weakest having to survive as best as they can, dodging the onslaughts of the more powerful. The pecking order can also extend sideways, with a previously untouched bird being attacked if, for example, it becomes ill or sustains a wound that attracts the unwanted attention of the other birds.

Where new birds are introduced to an existing flock, there can be problems because the natural pecking order is disrupted. A hen spotting a newcomer will utter a single warning croak that alerts the rest of the flock. It then becomes fair game to peck at and chase away the stranger.

So when introduce new birds to an existing flock it is worth considering keeping them in a temporary area next to the run first so that they can be seen but not harmed. It may also be necessary to have a separate place for them to shelter for a few weeks as the flock gets used to them. Placing the food for each set of birds on either side of the boundary is quite effective because it has them in close proximity, feeding rather than sparring, and all the time getting used to each other.

Once the birds are taking each other for granted, they can be amalgamated, but a careful watch needs to be kept for potential problems. If there are still problems consider ,putting the original flock into the temporary run, while the new birds are put in the original run. The same technique may well work on a particularly aggressive hen, whereby she is separate and put her in a temporary pen where she can be seen by the rest of the flock.

Pecking is also a boredom thing. By giving you hens some interest in their environment like perches at different heights, hanging things like CDs on strings just above head height as well as tasty greens for them to peck at usually will help with the problem.

Anti-peck sprays work well to break a habit. Spraying a nasty tasting substance onto the area of plumage being pecked often deters the attacker. We recommend trying an anti pecking spray for a few days.