Barely week old chicks with one playing leap frog - could this be a cockrell?

[SDOH]

My first batch of five chicks arrived a week ago and they are growing like crazy. One of the two buff orpington is noticably larger than the other chicks and now it is squaring off with all of the rest of them and jumping on their backs. It has been terrorizing all of the other chicks for the past 24 hours. To my knowledge, this is normal behavior but I do wonder if the jumping on backs is a precursor to mating behavior and that this "big one" might be a cockrell? I hope that this is not the case as roos are not permitted in my city. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[nuthatched]

Too early to say

 

[BigBlueHen53]

At this age, this is dominance behavior, not mating behavior, and may be seen in either gender.

 

[thecatumbrella]

This is good to know. I have a Silkie chick that loves to karate kick her friend. Purchased sexed females, but I can't help giving this one the side eye whenever "she" does it.

 

[SDOH]

This is good to know. I have a Silkie chick that loves to karate kick her friend. Purchased sexed females, but I can't help giving this one the side eye whenever "she" does it.

Ditto. I have trouble when the big buff terrorizes all of the others. I give the side eye and then have to walk away.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Ditto. I have trouble when the big buff terrorizes all of the others. I give the side eye and then have to walk away.

Honestly, if they're not pulling feathers or plucking eyes, I think it's kind of good for them. Some of my chicks would prefer if the wind never touched their butt fuzz, but that's not how life works girls! We need chicks like big buff and karate kick silkie to keep them on their toes.

 

[SDOH]

Honestly, if they're not pulling feathers or plucking eyes, I think it's kind of good for them. Some of my chicks would prefer if the wind never touched their butt fuzz, but that's not how life works girls! We need chicks like big buff and karate kick silkie to keep them on their toes.

Oh no, there are no plucking eyes. I am not sure I could handle that at this early stage of chicken keeping. I will try to remember this next time I am watching them. As long as big buff remains a benevolent dictator and doesn't go too wild, we will be fine. LOL.

 

[SDOH]

Following up on my buff "Bertie" whose name is a result of me being convinced that it is a cockrell... Now six weeks old, this bird has bitten me 4-5 times per week. Not a gentle peck - an unprovoked bite that pulls my gardening gloves off. Every time I am anywhere in the run, it is one of the first to come up to me and seems to be sizing me up (I know, I am anthropomorphizing...it's just what it seems to be). In the last week, it charged me while side-eyed as if to block me from entering further or a warning. Even if I am outside of the run working, it has pecked at the hardware cloth so hard it seemed surprised. Ironically, it only behaves this way with me. Not my husband or friends that have come to visit. Any thoughts on when I may be able to figure out if "Bertie" is Bert?

 

[angc11]

Got any pictures of Bertie/Bert? Sounds like a cockerel behavior to me, but pic would probably settle it

 

[SDOH]

Got any pictures of Bertie/Bert? Sounds like a cockerel behavior to me, but pic would probably settle it

Sure! In the photo with the two buffs, Bertie is on the left. In fairness, I do not see much of a difference but I would not as these are my first chickens.