do hens fight like roosters

[hiddenvalley713]

Good was afraid I had lot of roosters

I've been wondering the same thing with my flock! We've had three broodies hatch eggs this past spring and I'm seeing a lot of them bump chests and wondering just how many roosters are gonna come out of that little adventure. lol

 

[azygous]

Two-fold reply here.

Yes, chicks "play-fight" with each other, regardless of the sex. However, it has been MY experience that the boys usually are the more aggressive and the two who play-fight most often turn out to be roos.

As for adult hens' simulation of rooster behavior, here in my flock as recently as yesterday, I've seen a one-year old hen attack the rooster, both flaring and flying at each other. In another pen, a three-year old hen fully mounted a four-year old hen who was in a submissive crouch, grabbing her neck feathers in her beak, and crouching on top of her as a rooster does, although the motive was dominance and not mating.

And this morning, as she often does, another three-year old hen was crowing.

Close observation of your own flocks, especially larger ones, will produce similar phenomena over a period of time.

 

[adeleroy8]

Bens-Hens....here are the two Buff Orphington's that are fighting...can you tell by these picks if they are indeed hens???

 

[Bens-Hens]

Really depends on their age with those pics.

If they are around 20 weeks, then I would be saying pullet's as it's hard to see if they are saddle feathers. By 20 weeks I would think they would be quite evident on an Orp.

How ever, they do both have quite large comb and wattles, if they are around the 10-15 weeks of age, and towering over the brown chicken in the background of the last pic then I would be leaning towards both being cockerels.

I will say though, I have never raised that breed, so don't go chopping off any heads based on my opinion! Best bet to know would be to head over to the gender and breed section and start a thread there with the best quality pic you can get, and the age of the birds and you will get a pretty good result.

 

[adeleroy8]

Will do....Thanks!

 

[Russian Blue]

I have 10 chicks, almost three weeks old, mixed breed Easter Eggers. Some of them are starting to get serious about play fighting. Squaring off, making themselves "big," raising their hackles and jumping at one another. They also are the ones starting to sprout combs. Is it safe to assume these are the cockerels, or is it too early to tell? Do pullets jump in the mix and do this same behavior? I have noticed some of them do not participate in this, and I'm thinking those are the pullets, but want to be certain. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[WthrLady]

My Orpington at 21 weeks barely has a comb. She's starting to challenge the pecking order. She is #2. She might win soon as she's starting to get as big as a butterball turkey.

My Olive Egger, half Copper Maran and half Ameraucana, also 21 weeks, is and has always been a mean son of a goldfish cracker! Since she was about 9 weeks, she was the top of the flock, and still is. She stands on tip toe, puffs out her chest and flaps away. She is also def. a SHE. LOL.

My little Ameraucana, is my sweetie. #3. She just runs and stays out of everyone's way! LOL. But she's smart, and fast and sneaky.

The little French Blue Copper Maran was in the middle, but she too would stand up and challenge. She was my adventurous one. One day she wandered too far from the eyes of her sister and a dog got her. (not mine)

So yes, they CAN act a little roostery. And YES, they do get mean! LOL.

 

[pjandthegirls]

I have two hens that have fought like roosters. Observed this only once so far. It took me several attempts to separate them before it ended. I've had chickens for years and never saw this happen.

 

[marlo101freddy1]

their just trying to find their pecking order!

 

[marlo101freddy1]

they are hens but they are just trying to find their pecking order!