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From page 43
When referring to this ordered social structure in chickens , and sometimes other bird species , it is called the Pecking Order . It is thought that chickens inherited a pecking order from their ancestors , the Red Jungle Fowl of Thailand , who had a pecking order so that when food was available , there are no fights over food , attracting attention to the flock by predators . The pecking order is established early in a chicken ' s life when raised in a flock . Young chicks peck each other and bully one another when they are near food . The stronger chicks get to eat first , or eat the best foods and treats . Pullets and cockerels that grow up together will run and bump into each other , with the stronger one often chasing the other . After slight pecks , chasing and minor disputes on the roosts ,
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order is established and is evident by the peaceful nature of the flock , because each bird knows where they rank and who they can and cannot push around . Unless a member of the flock is removed or added , the pecking order may remain the same for a long time , although it is never permanent . Hens maintain a personal space around their heads and keep a distance from each other by holding their heads at an angle and maintaining a specific body orientation . If a direct head-to-head stance is taken , then pecking will ensue . The relationship of body stance and head position is important during pecking attacks . These include threats in which one bird lifts its head above the level of the other bird ' s head , then pecks the comb , head , neck or nape , wattles and then chases the subordinate away . |
Pecking is often greatest in adolescent hens . Provide plenty of feed and watering points and plenty of floor space when the flock is settling , so that there is no need for the fowls to peck each other in order to eat and drink . Hens love to dust bath , and it is clearly an innate behaviour . Dust bathing behaviour actions are even seen by birds bred with no feathers . We assume that hens dust bathe to control parasites and align their feathers . Normally freeliving hens spend their time dispersed except when it comes to dust bathing , which they seem to love to do communally . They also follow the sun around the yard . They all sunbathe , dropping to the ground and lying on their sides with one wing outspread , then turning over and spreading out the other wing while raising their neck feathers to allow the warm |
POULTRY sunlight to penetrate their skin and generate Vitamin D . Similar to dust bathing , sunbathing is a social as well as a healthful activity for chickens . Different social activities and status can be seen where hens are kept commercially . Laying hens have complex interrelationships involving social rank , aggression , feeding behaviour and egg production . Laying hens choose to feed close to each other when given a choice of feeding locations , which demonstrates the importance of social attraction . Hens that are in the same cage and in neighbouring cages will even synchronise their feeding . There is also evidence that chickens peck more at food when they have company than when they are alone . Male courtship displays are generally elaborate , involving vocalisations and noises , postures , etc .
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