Do chickens feel jealousy?

[K0k0shka]

I’ve witnessed this.
I have also , just like with roosters witnessed overly friendly hens get aggressive with me.I think she accidentally grabbed your shirt.

The shirt was yesterday, because it was colder and I had long sleeves. Today it was hot so I had a lot of skin exposed. She grabbed me by the skin quite purposefully multiple times, twisted and pulled. It was certainly no accident. I'm just not really sure what it means...

 

[RojoMarz]

I have similar behavior from one. She seems to get jealous if I give attention to others. She also picks on me, if she can't get to the one receiving attention. I do poke/tap her, hoping to let her know I'm bigger than her and it's not okay to bite/pinch or kick me.

 

[Sammy1122]

It’s aggression.Soemtimes when we bond so closely with chickens, we become part of their hierarchy and there isn’t boundaries, we then witness things like aggression, wing dancing (I’ve even had hens wing dance me), that’s how attached these birds egt to us.

The shirt was yesterday, because it was colder and I had long sleeves. Today it was hot so I had a lot of skin exposed. She grabbed me by the skin quite purposefully multiple times, twisted and pulled. It was certainly no accident. I'm just not really sure what it means...

 

[Mtnchickenmom]

I don’t want to anthropomorphize them too much, but at the same time, I do realize that they are social critters with social emotions. So here’s a behavior I need help interpreting. Some of my chickens really don’t like it when I’m cuddling others.

Context: I have 6 young chickens (18 weeks) that were all hand-reared and are bonded to me and my family. Very calm, social and friendly. They will either hop in my lap on their own, or let me put them in my lap myself, where they stay and enjoy some petting and cuddles.

A few weeks ago I noticed that one of the cuddliest pullets gets very upset and agitated when I have another chicken in my lap. She will circle us and try to peck the other chicken in the face, all the while making scolding sounds. When I put my hands in the way to protect the victim’s face, she starts to peck at the feet or straight out pull feathers out from the victim’s body! If I stand up with the other chicken in my arms, and walk away, she’ll follow me, looking up at the other chicken, making grumpy noises. When I put the other chicken down, she chases her away. At first, it was just one pullet doing that. But today, a second one started doing the same thing! She’s also one of the cuddliest, and she took it further - when I shielded the victim so she couldn’t get at her, the attacking pullet started attacking ME! She’d jump at me and pull my shirt with her beak, while kicking me with her feet. None of my chickens have ever done that to me, so I’m quite stunned. This one is one of my favorites and I thought we had a special friendship... Now I don’t know how to read this. After she attacked me, I picked her up and walked around with her for a while, until she calmed down. What should I make of this? All the pullets involved are Orpingtons.

Here’s the traitor:

View attachment 2308358

Lol cool picture! This hen looks super pissed

 

[nao57]

Sometimes I think the 'peck and run' incidents I saw with my own were over food treats I was giving out.

 

[K0k0shka]

Lol cool picture! This hen looks super pissed

Haha. Nah, this picture is from before the jealousy incidents started. At the time it was taken, she was happily sitting in my lap and posing for pictures.

 

[K0k0shka]

Sometimes I think the 'peck and run' incidents I saw with my own were over food treats I was giving out.

Mine peck at each other over treats sometimes too, but that’s different. The behaviors I’m describing here happen when there are no treats involved. Only when I have a chicken in my lap.

 

[Mtnchickenmom]

Haha. Nah, this picture is from before the jealousy incidents started. At the time it was taken, she was happily sitting in my lap and posing for pictures.

that’s her natural look then! She looks like she’s judging everyone lmao

 

[K0k0shka]

that’s her natural look then! She looks like she’s judging everyone lmao

That’s a classic chicken look that a lot of them seem to have

 

[K0k0shka]

Update: yesterday I spent about two hours total with the chickens, picking them up one by one and just spending time with them. I picked the most jealous one up first. That wasn't enough though - as soon as I put her down and put the next one in my lap, jealous pullet went for the other pullet's face and got agitated again. When she does this, I've been "pecking" her on top of the head with my finger and telling her no. But in addition to that, something else happened that I think helped drive the point across, and this hadn't happened before up to this point - the cockerel (their hatch mate and the only male), who had been completely uninterested in the drama up until now, finally took a stand, went beak to beak with her and stared her down, then put his body between her and me, and remained there until she walked away. I was so proud of him! (and happy that he took my side ). Today I spent a bunch of time with the chickens again, taking turns holding each one, and even though there were some grumpy clucks and stares, nobody pecked anybody today. So I think the combined efforts of me giving each one special attention, plus tapping them on the head when they peck, plus the cockerel stepping in, is working. He doesn't have much time left with us - we have to get rid of him when he starts crowing - but hopefully he can play peacekeeper until then and set a good pattern of behavior before leaving.