Do hens get a little nasty when they first mature?

[Nslangton]

My girls are 16 weeks old. I have sex links and white leghorns. The first leghorn to grow a large comb became nasty and the boss for a while. She hasn't laid yet and has become a little nicer now. Second leghorn to grow a large comb became nasty too. Now she seems to be head hen. They run after the others and give a little peck? Is this normal behavior? Are they like women with PMS? Two of my sex links started laying and are still as sweet as ever. Is this a breed issue? Hormones? Typical women? I would love some answers from all of you veteran chicken owners. Thanks.

 

[Auntie]

I've never had sex links, but I've had leghorns and never again! They were always an issue for me as with you, never layed many eggs and were way to lean for a meat bird. They were the first to break into newly layed eggs and eat them despite all the calcium I was feeding them. For me, they were an all around nasty bird with attitude. The roosters were worse. I have newly purchased cochins that seem to be the same way. There is non-stop fighting in my coop which means we start butchering. So far the best chickens I've had (and I'm sure there are others out there) are the barred rock and the Rhode Island reds. I have grandkids and I never fear for them in the coop. I can even pick up the rooster without being spurred or pecked. Hope this helps a little.

 

[Nslangton]

Thanks, I didn't even think of egg eating. My one girl had a huge flopped over comb, bright red and has been that way for weeks. No white eggs yet. Plenty of brown ones though. I don't know if they do the squat thing yet because if I so much as look at them they run away.

 

[Nslangton]

Hope for a couple more responses. They are not only nasty, they are prejudice. Three are laying now and all of the leghorns go after the sex-links. Not attacking, but a little peck here and there especially when they get treats.They don't peck each other just the sex-links. All four leghorns rank higher in the pecking order. They were so sweet when they were small, but have definitely changed since they started laying. I couldn't understand why so many people were anti leghorn until now. My sex-links lay huge eggs and are cuddly, the leghorns miniature eggs and definitely not cuddly. They better step it up soon. I keep reading about these huge white eggs maybe they will come next year, if not I might have to replace them with some more sex-links.