Pecking Order

• Chicks will start posturing and pecking at each other to determine their social order in the flock.
• The pecking order is important in reducing ongoing conflict as each chicken knows her order.
• Pecking orders do change when new birds are introduced or removed from to the flock, or when some stressful event occurs (like a predator attack).
• Be on the lookout for extreme bullies (for example, if a hen draws blood from another hen) and don't hesitate to isolate them for a few days. This gives time for the pecking order to readjust and makes it harder for the aggressive bird to regain its position.