Chicken behavior...

[Lainey-chick]

I have 11 chickens that were all supposed to be pullets, but I ended up with one cockerel. They are 6 ISA Browns, 3 Leghorns, and 2 Barred Rocks (roo is BR). They all grew up together and are almost 12 weeks old now. At about 4-5 weeks, we put them in a small TSC coop we made into a movable tractor with a small run. About a week ago, we finished the large coop and large run and moved them into that. Chicken behavior is so fascinating to watch. But, I am curious about some things and have a few random questions....

1. Most of the girls let me hold them and all are friendly. However, when I have flip flops on walking around inside the coop and run area, they peck my toes. Or sometimes they peck a freckle on my legs. I think they are just curious because toes are new to them and the nail polish is bright or maybe think a freckle is a bug? It’s not aggressive, but how do I put a stop to it? I don’t want to scare them, so I just lift my foot and tell them to stop it, but they don’t seem to care. LOL

2. Is it normal for the pullets to jockey around for a spot on the roost at night? The roo comes right in and picks a spot and is ready for bed. The girls are trying to pile in on top of one another like they did in the brooder. The small coop had very low roosting bars, but some of them didn’t use them at night and they all packed in pretty tight in there, too. They all seem to want in the middle and they play musical chairs pushing others off and getting back on. And, they try to get under the feathers of the others. It takes awhile for them to settle in at night.

3. The roo is usually very skittish and usually runs from me if I’m inside the coop or run area. He does hang around at a distance if he knows I have treats or comes running to the gate if I walk up because he thinks I’ll throw something good in. If I get too close and he’s cornered or when he is on the roost and I get close, he reaches out and pecks my hand. It doesn’t really hurt. I wasn’t sure if it was a warning peck because he is afraid and defending himself? I usually peck him back with a finger to the head when he does that, but not sure if that’s the right thing to do? He’s quick and I usually miss him anyway. His skittishness makes the girls skittish when he’s like that around me.

4. I also notice all of them will run up to each other and chest bump and dance around each other with their feathers all fluffy. I guess they are establishing pecking order? Sometimes the roo will chase them and they chest bump with the roo, but nothing too aggressive. Wondering if they are standing up to him? Last night I noticed him reach out and peck at some of the girls as they were jockeying for a spot on the roost, kind of like he pecks me, but one of the girls screeched loudly. I am not sure if he’s just tired and doesn’t want to be disturbed and is trying to say “settle down” or if I should be concerned?

5. I never really wanted a roo and thought about freezer camp for the roos future, but wondering if the BR hen would be lonely? She seems to hang around with him the most and they usually sit on the roost together. Without him, she wouldn’t have anyone like her. I notice each breed has their own sounds and she just sounds different than the other girls.

 

[Feather queen]

With the rooster whenever tries to or does peck you pick him up for a few minutes and walk around with him, try spending some more time with him to make him more friendly, it's better in the long run. And for question one, I don't know how to stop it but my 2 isa browns did it when they were young pullets right up until laying and a little after but no aggressive behaviour has come out of it, I think it's just curiosity. Warning my 2 isa browns are top hens and do not take to new birds easily, they bully my 2 silver spangled Hamburg pullets (luna and eclipse), 3-month-old silkie rooster (fluffybutt) and the top isa (Calypso) bullies my 2-year-old silkie, I think she is 2-3rd in the pecking order because my other isa (shivers) doesn't pick on her unless she is with Calypso. I don't know if this is just my isa browns but just thought id warn you just in case.
Good luck with your flock, please keep us updated.

 

[Feather queen]

I thought I would regret taking on a rooster but he is full of personality and keeps my smaller chooks company when the Isa browns are in a mood. He is a funny little fellow, his name was a joke about how fluffy his butt was but the name stuck so now we have a silkie rooster called "fluffybutt". He is learning to titbit and starting to TRY and mate (it's not going so well though) he is also just starting to make more roosterish noises and will be starting to crow soon. It's amazing and amusing to see a young cockerel grow up into a beautiful rooster, who takes care of the girls (whilst getting many scoldings of them) and protects them with his life.
Whatever you decide you have a beautiful flock of young hens.

 

[Lainey-chick]

With the rooster whenever tries to or does peck you pick him up for a few minutes and walk around with him, try spending some more time with him to make him more friendly, it's better in the long run. And for question one, I don't know how to stop it but my 2 isa browns did it when they were young pullets right up until laying and a little after but no aggressive behaviour has come out of it, I think it's just curiosity. Warning my 2 isa browns are top hens and do not take to new birds easily, they bully my 2 silver spangled Hamburg pullets (luna and eclipse), 3-month-old silkie rooster (fluffybutt) and the top isa (Calypso) bullies my 2-year-old silkie, I think she is 2-3rd in the pecking order because my other isa (shivers) doesn't pick on her unless she is with Calypso. I don't know if this is just my isa browns but just thought id warn you just in case.
Good luck with your flock, please keep us updated.

Thanks for your reply and sharing about your flock! They sound like a very interesting group!

I really wish I could catch him to hold him. He is fast and runs from me. He has never liked being held, even as a chick he would run and squirm when I did hold him.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Chickens are prey animals, and it's normal for them to not want to be held. Some will be okay with it, but they are not puppies or kittens! Having them come running for treats is fine, but don't let your delicate body be pecked by any of them.
Wear shoes!!! Chicken poo between your toes? Yuck! And pecking red is also normal, just do shoes instead. And jeans are also a good idea, it's not the beach...
Having this cockerel avoid you is a good thing, IMO. He needs to respect your space at all times. Some turn out well, and some become human aggressive jerks as they mature. You are getting experience now, so if this bird turns out badly, you will be better able to recognize the early signs next time. Don't wait to be injured, or, worse yet, for another person to be injured.
Throw treats on the ground, don't hand feed, and peck back, fast and hard, if you are pecked by any of them.
Mary

 

[Lainey-chick]

Welcome!
Chickens are prey animals, and it's normal for them to not want to be held. Some will be okay with it, but they are not puppies or kittens! Having them come running for treats is fine, but don't let your delicate body be pecked by any of them.
Wear shoes!!! Chicken poo between your toes? Yuck! And pecking red is also normal, just do shoes instead. And jeans are also a good idea, it's not the beach...
Having this cockerel avoid you is a good thing, IMO. He needs to respect your space at all times. Some turn out well, and some become human aggressive jerks as they mature. You are getting experience now, so if this bird turns out badly, you will be better able to recognize the early signs next time. Don't wait to be injured, or, worse yet, for another person to be injured.
Throw treats on the ground, don't hand feed, and peck back, fast and hard, if you are pecked by any of them.
Mary

Thanks for the welcome! I had to chuckle at your comment, shorts and flip flops are my standard 90 degree hot and humid home attire and I’d overheat for sure if I wore jeans out there, so that won’t change. I prefer bare feet, but I do wear flip flops because they have a sole. Never gotten poo between my toes yet. My polish is blue, so I’m concluding they peck because it’s shiny. I hear you about the cockerel. I never wanted a rooster because I didn’t want to deal with any of that nonsense. I just feel bad for the BR hen because he seems like her only friend and I wouldn’t want to take him from her. But if he ever turns on me or anyone else, he’s dinner and she’ll have to make a new friend.

 

[Folly's place]

Here we have horses, and used to have cattle, and poison ivy, and now poison hemlock (look it up) so jeans, socks, and either shoes or boots are on, regardless of weather.
One of our Speckled Sussex pullets was very pushy last year, demanding attention by pecking me. We've had 'chats' about it, and now it's a rare event. She follows me around and tells me that treats should happen more often, but is able to restrain her pecking. It's cute, mostly. Once this spring she grabbed a chunk of the jeans and twisted; if it had been me, would have been a wound. That did not go well, and it hasn't happened again.
We will never incubate any of her eggs!!!
Mary

 

[3KillerBs]

maybe think a freckle is a bug?

I think this is a strong possibility.

I had fire ant bites last year and one of my hens took 2 scabs off my leg before I'd finished flinching from the first one.

I now always wear my knee-high muck boots in the chicken run.

 

[Folly's place]

Well, they are omnivores...

 

[Lainey-chick]

Here we have horses, and used to have cattle, and poison ivy, and now poison hemlock (look it up) so jeans, socks, and either shoes or boots are on, regardless of weather.
One of our Speckled Sussex pullets was very pushy last year, demanding attention by pecking me. We've had 'chats' about it, and now it's a rare event. She follows me around and tells me that treats should happen more often, but is able to restrain her pecking. It's cute, mostly. Once this spring she grabbed a chunk of the jeans and twisted; if it had been me, would have been a wound. That did not go well, and it hasn't happened again.
We will never incubate any of her eggs!!!
Mary

Awww, I would love to have a horse or two. We have poison ivy in the woods, but not in our yard area. I’ll be more consistent with shooing them away when they try to peck. We’ll have ”chats”.