Do female chicks chest bump?

[Katydid2011]

Mine chest bump as chicks, pullets, and mature hens. They chest bump with newbies to establish pecking order. They chest bump their friends in what looks like play. :0)

 

[Katydid2011]

Quote:
I'm perpetually nervous about my chickens. It's kind of ridiculous but I can't seem to help it. When we raised our last batch of chicks I didn't make it through a single night without getting up to check on them while they were in the brooder. I'm totally a Mother Hen.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
I'm perpetually nervous about my chickens. It's kind of ridiculous but I can't seem to help it. When we raised our last batch of chicks I didn't make it through a single night without getting up to check on them while they were in the brooder. I'm totally a Mother Hen.

I can totally relate. My husband keeps telling me I'm being ridiculous. But then last night he suggest we get a baby monitor so we can hear them through the night. Ah Ha! He's as big a softie as I am!
The good news is, we live in a tiny house and while they are in the garage, if one is unhappy and starts chirping and you can hear it in the house. And I've done this once before and they all turned out just fine. I think I'll be better in a week or so when they get a tad bigger and I know we're on our way.

But I can see why people let their broody's raise chicks. It really makes it easier.

 

[johnsons-r-us]

As a first time chick owner I loved watching them do this as babies!

 

[debid]

Hehehe... my girls fought like they were on Springer! Chest bumps, head-down charges, flared necks, feet first flying in the face, etc. If they'd had a chair to throw, I'm sure they would have thrown it. My boy was the quiet one in the brooder (except when he couldn't see his flock and then he complained loudly!) I'm thoroughly convinced that it's a waste of time to try to pick out genders by behavior at such a young age.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:

On Springer! That's funny.

I'm more relaxed now. I'm just a bit timid as I'm a small flock owner. I can really only handle four birds. So adding birds is tough as you want to add them in pairs. You all know the drill. So I bring home these supposedly sexed pullets and they are charging at my finger and pecking me, chest bumping and my husband is telling me to take them back. That they HAVE to be males. So I'll sit tight and see what develops. I can really only keep two and the statistically odds of at least two being girls are good so it will be okay.

 

[2DogsFarm]

Not only did my hens fight each other as young pullets, but even now if my teen rooster gets too cheeky for their liking, they go at him!

He is henpecked

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
That's funny.

 

[123ChickieLou]

My two 4-5 week olds do it all the time. The larger one jumps all over the other. It looks like playing really. When I let them out in the daytime, they immediately start flapping and running and chest bumping and generally going nuts with excitement. Then again i'm not convinced the bigger one isn't a rooster, but I've seen them both jump and fluff and flap and run seemingly all in one movement.

 

[applefalls]

If they'd had a chair to throw, I'm sure they would have thrown it.

So perfect!!
My chicks all wish they had chairs right now. It is adorable.