[rcf100]

My ladies arrived last night, so here arrives my first question.

When hen pecking starts, is it obvious that it's a bullying thing? Do has been pecking at Doodle's beak a few times, it doesn't at all look like a bullying act, but I don't know if it's something to keep an eye on or if it's just friendly preening.  I'm fairly sure that Do will be head bird, she's more adventurous than the other 2

[joyfull]

pecking at the beak could be because she had something on it that looked tasty 

[rcf100]

When I saw her do it last night, Doodle wasn't eating, they hadn't been in the run long and were still a bit scared so hadn't done any eating.  Today though you could be right.  It doesn't seem anything sinister, almost like a friendly peck on the mouth

[ehs284]

Very common behaviour. No problem Maybe a sort of grooming, removing food from the part of the beak the birds find hard to reach; certainly ours stand quite still to allow this to be done to them.

[Cluckyclaire]

Hello all, I have seen the friendly pecking too and was at first worried but realised like you say they were removing a bit of food etc, yesterday I saw the other pecking order nasty peck when I gave them half a courgette, I cut it long ways thinking they would all tuck in together, whoa! no way! as soon as Ella tried to get near it the top girl Martha went for her, though Martha didn't mind Frances having some, it's not nice to watch as luckily they are usually really tolerant and calm with each other so have to keep an eye out in future I think! Oh and all three are now laying! Usually 2 eggs a day between them but the noise! Like that one born every minute show! 

[moomintroll]

I occasionally see my black rock pecking very gently at her cockerel pals beak. I'm guessing it's a tasty food/cleaning act too. She is very gentle and doesn't peck him anywhere else. She used to feather peck, but when we got rid of the main problem pecker ( a cuckoo maran) to a new home... all pecking has stopped. Even the maran who lives a mile down the road now, has apparently stopped pecking her new friends too. I exhausted ALL options with the maran, and my friend took her on who has 16 other hens at present. So guess who is henpecked now lol 

[rcf100]

Oh I am pleased that it's easy to read.  I have a picture of it, I didn't realise, but it was when I was taking pics and only realised yesterday when I was uploading to photobucket.