Chickens have their own ways of maintaining social order which is a bit authoritarian by our standards. The pecking order – in which each bird has a rank in the top-down hierarchy of the flock – is the way in which chickens govern themselves. Last week, I introduced you to what I call "The Roseanne Collective". These are the leaders of our flock of 30 laying hens, and they are at the top of the pecking order. 

Pecking order rank determines the order in which chickens are allowed to access food, water, and dust-bathing areas. It determines who gets the most comfortable nesting boxes and the best spots on the roosting bar. At the top of the pecking order here at the ranch, the Roseanne Collective fiercely defends their chosen prime nesting location on our front porch from all others (occasionally, they even try to keep me away).   

Then we have what I call the Introverts. These hens are at the lowest end of the pecking order, they've been bullied and put in their place by the collective, but they're fine with that as long as everyone leaves them alone to do their chicken thing in peace. These girls are the ones who make me work for my egg haul each day, climbing, and crawling, and reaching for their clandestine nests. Luckily for me, they are pretty consistent, so once I locate their favored nesting spot I don't have to go on an egg hunt. 

Below, you can see some of the places these reclusive hens have chosen to nest. The first row shows the hay barn where I get to climb a ladder to reach two different nesting spots and get covered in hay. If I'm really lucky, I'll bang my head on the support beams climbing down. The second spot is under an unused chest freezer - this is where I get to crawl and reach for the eggs, praying that's all I'll find under there. :)

Moved the broiler chicks from the brooder to the tractor this morning. Have to make room for another batch of 200 on Tuesday