Chest bumps?

[Tracy and the Girls]

My chicks are about 6 weeks old. i notice that they argue? Two of them will stare at each other and then literally bump chests and go back to the stare routine. What do you think this is all about?

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Just trying to show each other who's boss!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Perfectly normal. They are establishing the pecking order. It could be males, females or one of each.

 

[Tracy and the Girls]

Thanks. Can't tell which are which yet?

 

[Moxiechick]

Lol! Some of our not quite 2 week old chicks were doing that tonight! We let them out into a playpen thing so they would have room to run around. (We also gave them a piece of sod to investigate.)
Maple, our usually mellow Buff Orpington, was running around like a wild woman, stalking her flockmates, then running up and doing chest bumps with anyone who paid her any notice. Soon, there were chest bumps all over the place! I think they were just playing, enjoying the room to run around and flex their wings. Sure, pecking order is a part of it, but at the heart of it, they are young animals and all young animals love to play.