2 chicks fighting!

[chkinut]

i just witnessed 2 of my chicks fighting! it lasted about 4 seconds...but it looked pretty bad! they are 2 weeks old....does this mean they are both roos?

 

[Ridgerunner]

No. That is pecking order stuff. I've seen much older pullets or pullets and cockerels square off and fight due to pecking order stuff. The cocks squaring off and fighting for dominance should not happen until about 12 to 15 weeks of age among themselves. I do think the pecking order stuff sorts a lot of that out while they are young so the dominance fighting is often not that bad. It can get pretty vicious, just that it doesn't always.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

From limited experience, probably... the only ones I have ever had that did this ended up being both boys...


But I've heard the girls can fight too, so don't give up on them.

 

[sourland]

Not necessarily. Chickens at all ages work at developing the pecking order regardless of sex.

 

[gryeyes]

What sourland said.

Just as a timely comment, this morning two 5-week old chicks in the brooder, a pullet and a cockerel, squared off and flared neck feathers at each other. She won. (His feathers aren't as "in" as are hers, yet.)

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Man, am I disapointed.

I was hopeing there was a video...

And I wasn't thinking of that kinda chicks.

my bad

 

[dsqard]

Yup I am with gryeyes, I have five week olds too, boys and girls and they are really working on that pecking order. I have seen boys and girls squaring off. It is actually kinda funny to watch them chest bump and flare up what little feathers they have. I am watching closely though to make sure no one is actually getting hurt.

 

[Thunder Bay Chicken]

Quote:
WOO HOO CAT FIGHT! crap just some baby chcikens...

CHKINUT, I'm sure they will be fine.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
For shame!!!

Just for the record, my adult hens get into it sometimes and their fights are always worse than when the roosters decide to square off. My adult roo took a roundhouse kick to the head once trying to break up a fight between two of his hens. And you don't even want to know how bad my broody kicked Impy's butt.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:
For shame!!!

Just for the record, my adult hens get into it sometimes and their fights are always worse than when the roosters decide to square off. My adult roo took a roundhouse kick to the head once trying to break up a fight between two of his hens. And you don't even want to know how bad my broody kicked Impy's butt.

aww, come on now Gritty, I've been good for like two whole days. You knew it couldn't last forever!

And I know what you mean, I just watched two of my Orloff hens have it out. The roosters just looked at them like "I ain't gettin' in the middle of that!" I've noticed the hen fights last longer than the rooster fights but aren't as bloody most of the time.