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Cheering for the Under-Chicken: Pecking Order Theory
“Pecking order” is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as:
1. A hierarchy among a group, as of people, classes, or nations: “The astronauts had developed a pecking order that was military in its rigidity” (Tom Wolfe).
2. The social hierarchy in a flock of domestic fowl in which each bird pecks subordinate birds and submits to being pecked by dominant birds.
I’ve had the educational experience of witnessing the formation of pecking order first hand!
Out of 6 female hens (2 Silver Laced Wyandottes, 2 Black Astralorps, 1 Plymouth Rock), one stands apart from the rest as The Littlest Hen In The Yard.
I, of course, have opted to cheer for the under-chicken, and take special care of The Littlest, Most Pecked-Upon Hen in the group by making sure she gets enough water and layer mash to eat, even after the others chase her away. She is the loner, scavenging for grubs in the woods alone, separated from the flock. In return for my doting, she follows me around the yard and is always the first to greet me in the morning when I open the doors to say hello.
Taking sound advice from neighbors and friends, I will restrain myself from naming the hen-friends for the time being. These funny, feathery, hierarchial things and I…we’ve got a nice backyard food/water/omelette economy going!
Written by robin on 07/09/2010 in AITA In The Wild | AITA Original | Blog | Food | The Farm
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