Curious about chick behavior

[LaurenRitz]

I saw something interesting with the six week old chicks yesterday that I have never seen before with chicks. I am not sure if I am misinterpreting.

Two of the chicks, one male and one female, seemed to be titbitting for each other. They were taking turns picking up the same piece of food and dropping it.

I find it encouraging that they are (or seem to be) mimicking adult behavior at 6 weeks.

Another interesting thing was two cockerels faced off, and rather than either of them submitting they sort-of bowed with their necks crossed and then both went back to foraging.

I am not sure what that means, if anything. I read it as brothers playing, then agreeing not to fight for real.

 

[Maddcatter]

I find it encouraging that they are (or seem to be) mimicking adult behavior at 6 weeks.

This is the beauty of multigenerational flocks. The young ones learn a sorts of stuff super early.
I have a cockerel that started crowing at 4 months.

Another interesting thing was two cockerels faced off, and rather than either of them submitting they sort-of bowed with their necks crossed and then both went back to foraging.

I am not sure what that means, if anything. I read it as brothers playing, then agreeing not to fight for real.

This seems like it'd be correct, but I don't think I have ever seen it

 

[MysteryChicken]

I saw something interesting with the six week old chicks yesterday that I have never seen before with chicks. I am not sure if I am misinterpreting.

Two of the chicks, one male and one female, seemed to be titbitting for each other. They were taking turns picking up the same piece of food and dropping it.

I find it encouraging that they are (or seem to be) mimicking adult behavior at 6 weeks.

Another interesting thing was two cockerels faced off, and rather than either of them submitting they sort-of bowed with their necks crossed and then both went back to foraging.

I am not sure what that means, if anything. I read it as brothers playing, then agreeing not to fight for real.

I've seen chicks tidbit(Both genders), as early as 2-3 weeks.

Chicks will play fight(Both genders), it's like practice for real life. Mainly seen in chicks is some pecking, chest bumping, & just staring each other down.

One time a serious fight actually broke out between 2 of my 6-7 week old cockerels, it lasted a good 4 minutes, they did draw some blood, & pull some feathers. They did work out their differences early on.

I've had chicks play fight with my hand, but they never grew up human aggressive.

 

[LaurenRitz]

This is the beauty of multigenerational flocks. The young ones learn all sorts of stuff super early.

The interesting thing is that this is not a multi-generational flock. This is the second generation attempt to breed good behavior in cockerels. These chicks were hatched in an incubator and have only each other as examples.

Their father belongs to my sister and was acting like a mature rooster at 16 weeks. Not interested in the pullets, tit-bitting for the mature hens, and they were squatting for him. No chasing, no forced mating, protective, no sign of human aggression.

His father was the same way (his father died before he hatched) so I wanted those genes.