Chest-butting chicks

[tofumama]

I have 7 chicks of various breeds and unknown sexes in a bin together. They are about 5-6 weeks old. Normally they are very happy together. I have one silkie and one mutt(?) who flap their wings and 'chest-butt' each other. What the heck is THAT all about? Does this mean they are roo's ? Noone else plays that way...

They have lots of space, they are in a 45gal. bin right now with perches, etc. No pecking, just the chest-butting.

I am baffled.

 

[LarryPQ]

boredom?

 

[Nyrial]

My last batch did that, and the new batch I have (~4 weeks) does that.

I just figured that they're babies, and babies play. Or a pecking order thing perhaps?

I could be off base too, but that's just what I figured..

 

[wombat]

Roos will commonly bump chests and beat their wings, but some hens will get into this too, so you can't be certain they are all roos just from this behavior.

 

[tofumama]

Based on their behavior, I thought they were roo's. One I am almost certain is a roo(the mutt) but I bought him because he was so darn handsome. The silkie I think is a roo is quite pushy and LOUD, lol.

Course as I type this, they are all sitting peacefully together in their bin next to me...

 

[silkypie]

My hens at 6 months of age now still bump chests.

 

[gritsar]

I have two grown hens that square off so bad - chests bumping, claws flying, wings flapping - that my roo runs for cover.

 

[tofumama]

Oh! lol, I hope that is not what I am in for!

 

[newchickmom09]

When I had my chicks in the brooder still I would take them outside every now and then. As soon as I would let them out of the box that I carried them in they would all run around doing that chest bumb thing. After they all did this then they would run and explore.

I think they were just excited when mine did it.

Yours might be bored or just playing. LOL that answer really doesn't help much.

My friend that has a lot of chickens, all you see is chickens, she has some females that full out fight like gritsar said hers will.