Chicks stomping

[Swan]

I have noticed my 8 week old chicks have been stomping at each other. It looks almost like a dance. Are they challenging each other? Is this part of establishing a pecking order? I almost want to play the chicken dance music for them!

 

[yakitori]

stomping? are they chest bumping? running at each other with their feathers puffed out?

eight weeks is the time when pecking order scuffles become a bit more apparent, so I'm guessing that's what it is.

 

[Swan]

Yes they are. In fact my as troops got one of my gems by her neck and she was squawking in pain. I had to separate the two.

 

[yakitori]

As long as they don't draw blood, or pull out a copious amount of feathers, I would leave them alone to sort out their hierarchy. All my birds squawk when pecked, even when it's obvious they're not pecked very hard... that's why I called them my drama queens

unfortunately this is the only video I have of my little ones being shown who's boss by the head pullet. They haven't found their big girl voices yet... Wish I had one of the older girls squawking their heads off and running away after being pecked.

(note the second peck, where she's squealing even before she got pecked - drama queen much?)

 

[FarmerGirl101]

It is most likely them establishing a pecking order

 

[Swan]

Thank you so much. I thought that was what was going on. I'll try to keep out of their spats.