beginning broodiness or response to aggression?

[cityeggs]

I have 3 9mo old pullets (all laying). I've noticed the Australorp puffing up more, tail fully fanned and clucking while walking around just in the last day or so. She is one who likes to take her time in the nest already, but there doesn't seem to be any increase in that behavior so far.

Is this also sometimes a response to aggression from another pullet? I just watched my RSL run up and bite her on the neck (I had cockerel flashbacks!) when she was puffed. At that moment, it was hard to tell who triggered whom - whether she puffed up bc she's afraid of the RSL, or the RSL was set off by the puff & clucking. The RSL is a little "pecky" - she pecks or tries to peck at me daily when I go in to do chores, and I "peck" her back, but after that she just circles, and it's never been hard, just annoying. I've seen her peck the other two when she doesn't get the middle position on the roost in the evening, but there's never been any feather pulling or hard pecks, or pecks at any other time that I've seen. And when she does peck, it's nowhere near anything like drawing blood; sometimes I can't even tell whether it's an affectionate peck (is that a thing?), or out of not getting what she wants.

So, now the Australorp is puffing up every time RSL comes close to her, but yesterday she was clucking a lot around food, and when I tried to move her to a different spot on the roost (so she wouldn't get pecked).

And - if this isn't pre-broodiness, what do I do about the increased friction? They have plenty of roost space for 3 of them (>4'), 20sf in the coop, with the pop door always open to an enclosed 50sf run, 2 nest boxes, and most days they get close to 12h (now that it's light so late) of "free ranging" in a shaded ~200sf area that's open to the run, though there's very little in the "range" space - no plants just wood chips (with nice dry dust bathing soil underneath), two bushes I'm trying to grow to give them something to hide under, and a few potted plants for them to nibble outside the fence.

As far as pecking order, I honestly have a hard time telling what it is with the 3 of them - they all have their moments of seeming to be at the top and bottom (maybe they haven't figured it out yet?). GLW gets to the roost first and almost always has her favorite position and just sits there looking disinterested (like a good wyandotte) while the other two bicker. She also steals food from the others when I throw treats into the run, but she has a mild cross-beak, and so sometimes has a harder time eating and occasionally looks submissive and gets crowded out of mush in the bowl (even though it's mostly for her benefit). Australorp will occasionally push GLW out of the way on the roost by pushing up under her legs to avoid sleeping next to RSL, who, like I said, will peck at her. When she's pecked, she complains, but only turns away, won't move, or turn around to avoid getting pecked on the head. RSL is a busybody - often up in everyone's business; with treats in containers, she seems to cede to the other two, and she often doesn't get her "preferred" position on the roost (she's always last up to the roost - has serious FOMO and hopes I'll bring out just one more treat), and will wander around and complain loudly about not getting the middle spot and irritate everyone trying to get it, but the others only sometimes move for her, and lately, she's given to sleeping on the dropping board next to/under the other two instead of sleeping on the outside on the roost.

 

[azygous]

It sounds like pre-broody behavior. Make no mistake, though, everyone is annoyed by broody behavior. It's not so much aggression as peevishness.

Your hen won't be fully broody until she has stopped laying eggs and sits a nest full time.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like she's going broody. Other hens often don't like a broody walking around clucking and acting silly so they will often peck or go after them. I would either use her or break her as it can be disruptive and sometimes encourages others to go broody. I usually break them in that walking clucking phase and often they barely stop laying.

 

[cityeggs]

Thank you! Pre-broody hormonal behavior sounds much more manageable than sudden aggression! It sounds like I need to clean out the crate I picked up for broodiness/sick bay ASAP!

That's good to know that the walking clucking phase comes first and that it might be easier to interrupt then than full-blown stage.

I WISH I had a use for her broodiness - I really want another hen, which means at least 2 more chicks. We ideally wanted and got 4 but had a cockerel in the mix, but we're going away for a bit in July and I can't fathom leaving a neighbor to care for chicks or mid-flock integration, so it will have to wait until we get back.

 

[cityeggs]

Sounds like she's going broody. Other hens often don't like a broody walking around clucking and acting silly so they will often peck or go after them. I would either use her or break her as it can be disruptive and sometimes encourages others to go broody. I usually break them in that walking clucking phase and often they barely stop laying.

So, at this pre-broody stage do you use the broody jail to break them, or some other method?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So, at this pre-broody stage do you use the broody jail to break them, or some other method?

Here I just pen them away from their choose nest site. 2-3 days should be enough unless she's stubborn. So whatever you have to put her in for a few days should do it.

 

[cityeggs]

While I cleaned out the crate, I gave them some treats which were incidentally almost frozen (our fridge is cranky). After that, I'm not sure whether it was a coincidence or not, but she seemed to be acting normal - not off on her own telling everyone to go away, no more puffing and clucking. Maybe the cold snacks were enough to at least temporarily lower her body temperature?? We shall see! At least the broody crate is set up if needed!