I didn't believe it the first time I saw it, but he did it again yesterday - my baby buff orp roo is already trying out his mating skills. I've seen normal playfighting and pecking-order stuff, but this is very different behavior - he jumps on the other chick's back, grabs its neck feathers in his beak, the whole bit.
He only does it with the other buff orp, who I thought was also a roo, but s/he might not be (her comb is just as large as his, but more pink than red). He also chases my full-grown pullet around, and she lets him do it, even though she gives all other chicks a quick warning peck. Lucille is a meat bird so she's three times the size of this little roo-wannabe, and it's pretty funny to watch him run after her!
Here are some pics from last weekend; you can see His Manliness sunbathing in the foreground:
Anyway, my question is...is this common 8-week-old roo behavior? Is it specific buff orp behavior? I haven't seen any of the others try mating yet -- I have at least 3 other suspected roos, including two RI reds and one barred rock. If this keeps up, we're going to have to give the buff boy a pimp name like Huggy Bear.
He only does it with the other buff orp, who I thought was also a roo, but s/he might not be (her comb is just as large as his, but more pink than red). He also chases my full-grown pullet around, and she lets him do it, even though she gives all other chicks a quick warning peck. Lucille is a meat bird so she's three times the size of this little roo-wannabe, and it's pretty funny to watch him run after her!
Here are some pics from last weekend; you can see His Manliness sunbathing in the foreground:
Anyway, my question is...is this common 8-week-old roo behavior? Is it specific buff orp behavior? I haven't seen any of the others try mating yet -- I have at least 3 other suspected roos, including two RI reds and one barred rock. If this keeps up, we're going to have to give the buff boy a pimp name like Huggy Bear.
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