Chick Aggression?

[trase]

Howdy,

This is my first post here - we are on 14 acres in Michigan, just south of Fenton. We got our first batch of twenty straight run chicks from a local breeder on 30 January, and they will be two weeks old on Wednesday; all of them have survived, phew! We have a mix of six Buff Orpingtons, six Welsummers, six Plymouth White Rocks, and two Rhode Island Reds.

I've been perusing the forums here for a couple of weeks and there is a ton of great information! I am sure this has been covered in the past, but likely I haven't been using the search terms to get a hit on those. So my apologies for posing what is no doubt a common question.

We are noticing some really aggressive behavior (chest thumping, chasing, looking for escape routes in a very determined manner, etc) out of several of these babies, and as it so happens, these are also the first ones to get their tail feathers. I know that venting is really the only scientific method of sexing chicks (and I leave that to the experts!). But, I'm wondering, in your experience, are these behaviors, in combination with any appearance traits, usually reliable in determining if you have roos?

Any tips you might have to offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Trase

 

[chickgirl17]

i'm not sure... it may be they are just starting their pecking order..
sorry i am not much help!
good luck!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Those traits - chest bumping, chasing, etc. are displayed by both pullets and cockerels. Helps sort out the pecking order.


Congrats on all your fluffy chicks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum. Glad you've joined us.

The chick's behavior is not a reliable way to sex a chick. You'll get pullets and cockerells both doing all that. Just general pecking and chasing is common to both sexes. I do think the ones that run as fast as they can to get to the other side of the brooder are a little more likely to be pullets and the ones that chest bump and square off are a little more likely to be cockerells, but it is certainly not a reliable guide. Both sexes do all that. If you do use that as a guide, you'll be right about half the time.

 

[trase]

Thanks everyone for all of the good input - I wasn't sure what to think. I've read the Storey Guide by Gail Damerow a couple of times now, but I am not remembering every detail so well. I'm glad to have such a great community to call upon in order to get other folks experiences with these little chickie-doodles, too.