Mean Girls!

And I am talking about hens!  There really is a 'pecking order'.  .

There are two chicken coups.  There is a smaller house that new chicks are put in that has a heat lamp to keep them warm; and a larger coup for the hens and roosters.  The older chickens roost on a ladder in the big coup at night; while the younger chicks huddle together in a ball in the smaller coup.  When the baby chicks get big enough to roam the range, they become poulets & cockerels. Poulets(teenage girls) and cockerels(teenage boys) are the next stage after they are cute fluffy puff balls

So this is the part I have personally observed that brings me to the title above.  As the poulets & cockerels are let out on the open range, the older hens follow them all day chasing and pecking them. Consequently, the poor little teenage chickens move in a huddled mass cowering from the constant taunting and pecking.  But this isn't the only pecking order...  So I learn that the hens have a pecking order on the stoop at night!  The rooster positions them according to his favorites.  I just finished morning feeding of the animals and the teenage chickens are not allowed to participate in the initial feeding frenzy by the hens.  So they are all waiting outside the coup, looking in and waiting for their turn.

Free range! - I don't think so..

50 New Baby Chicks arrive by mail

First encounter

Releasing them into their new home

Teenage chickens allowed to eat after everyone left

Some of the MEAN GIRLS

We had a young visitor this week.  He came running into the house yelling that the rooster was being mean to the other chickens.  He was jumping on them and pecking their heads!!!