Do female chicks chest bump?

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TheSpiceGirls

TheSpiceGirls

Crowing
13 Years
Oct 6, 2010
2,566
345
341
Bay Area, CA
I picked up four day-old Buff Orpingtons from the feed store yesterday. They are 96% guaranteed to be females. But I'm noticing lots of chest bumping going on and when I put my hand inside the brooder, one will run up and peck me. These ladies are just days old. Not even a week.

Do I have a roo?

I bought four from this place last year and one turned out to be a roo. I really only plan on keeping two of the pullets so even if two are males, I'm still okay. But I was hoping to sell the two others as pullets. Really breaks my heart to give away roosters because I know what their fate will probably be.

Thoughts?
 
All of mine chest bump. They all work out pecking order. It's pretty cute.
smile.png
 
Ours all did from about 6 weeks of age and still do. They sometimes puff their hackles and bounce and flat out leap right on top of each other. All five are definitely pullets.
 
Thanks All. I'm a nervous wreck for a mama hen.

All I do is think about the chicks. What if the power goes out? What if the heat lamp bulb burns out in the middle of the night? Are they happy?

I vaguely remember my chicks chest bumping when I did this 14-15 months ago. But one of those turned out to be a roo so I wasn't sure if he was starting it.
These guys are only about 5 days old and I thought that seemed a bit early to be jockeying for position. But I guess it's not.
 

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