Aggressive baby chick or just play?

I have 5 chickens
2 buff orps
1 austrolorp
2 Cochins

Well about a week ago I have not been able to really hold any of them except my 2 Cochins. Well now that is the least of my worries.

About 2 days ago I notice st my oldest chick (my buff) has started becoming aggressive. I think she's about 2 1/2 weeks old now. Not sure why she grew up so much faster than my other birds who are also large breeds. :/ She has been the most flighty and was the first one to start flapping around and working all the other chicks up. Well now she has directed her attitude towards my austrolorp. I'm not sure what is normal pecking order and what is mean behavior so I will describe a couple of situations.

Sometimes she will flap her wings, jump and peck the austrolorp she'll sort of drop down kind of like this
she's done this to me a few times in the past but I figured she was just scared of my intruding hand. Well now she ill do it and kind of jump around my other bird almost like she is egging the other one on.

She will even fly to the other side of the brooder where the austrolorp is and jump on her and start pecking her then they will make their way into some type of boxing ring where they walk in a circle but its usually the buff that pecks and sometimes the austrolorp will peck back in defense.

A few moments ago I was recording them. The buff was eating from the feeder and the austrolorp was going to walk by, but when she saw the orp look at her she stop literally in her tracks and waited for my buff to turn her head then she proceeded to run. And when she did the buff pecked her and scared her. I would post this video but i have no idea how.

I hope this doesn't sound silly, I'm just not sure whats aggressive and what normal pecking order play. My fiancé makes fun of me for stressing over a couple baby chicks but I want my flock to me friendly and docile, which is why I spent forever finding the nicest breeds. I'm not sure if I should return her to the breeder, who is very nice and understanding, or if I should just wait it out and deal with it. I just hate to spend so much time on trying to make a bird nice. While I have some that are just naturally sweet. I also need to decide while they are all still fairly small so that if needed I could get another cochin or 2

Thanks in advance!

You do not have a psycho chicken on your hands. What you are describing is normal chick behavior. It may very well progress to flared hackle feathers, chest bumping and even mild flogging. It's just what chickens do. Yours are normal.

sourland said:

You do not have a psycho chicken on your hands. What you are describing is normal chick behavior. It may very well progress to flared hackle feathers, chest bumping and even mild flogging. It's just what chickens do. Yours are normal.

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x2 sorry.

well, would the situation come back up if I got rid of her and replaced her with another?
She was begging to be the least favorite out of the bunch besides my other orp so I was thinking of getting another cochin.
Thanks for the replies!

She may not be a pullet, she may be a young rooster. But, this is still just chicks playing.

When you see blood, then you have a problem....

Brie6895 said:

well, would the situation come back up if I got rid of her and replaced her with another?
She was begging to be the least favorite out of the bunch besides my other orp so I was thinking of getting another cochin.
Thanks for the replies!

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Adding a new chick would probably worsen the situation.

I hope this doesn't sound rude, but I'm not understanding. How would getting rid of the only one who is pecking and adding a new younger one make it worse?
Thanks again!

. It's all about the pecking order. Most likely a new bird added to a group that has established it's pecking order would then be attacked by the others. Big chickens pick on little chickens - established birds pick on new birds. Chicken society is not a pretty thing. It's not complicated. Just think 'mean girls' in high school. My gut tells me that you are going to do what you choose, so why not give it a try? It may very well work.

This is completely normal. No reason to get rid of her! This happens in all flocks. Mine would chest bump run at each other and do all kinds of funny little things until they worked it out. then I added a older pullet and it started again. Pullet is the head hen. If she's challenged she will run at the other bird Peck them and jump on them. Its just the way of the chicken. It does not make her mean or a bad bird! Its the Way of there society. You will see this as they get older. I would not worry about your bird she's likely going to be the lead hen or maybe even a cockerel. No reason to get rid of her
This is the way of the chicken society

Thank you for all your suggestions! I will keep her unless it gets really bad, or if she starts attacking me. And is she is a he I will have to rehome her.