Do Hens fight or only roosters?

[newbiechix]

I have a small flock of teenager chickens. Recently, a few of them have started fighting each other. They fluff out their neck feathers and stare each other down a bit before a small tussle. It doesn't last long and no one gets hurt. My question is more on whether I can finally determine which members of the flock are roosters by this behavior. I have one that is crowing, but he isn't the one fighting. So are these possibly just females working out the pecking order or are they certain to be males?

 

[Kevin565]

That sounds like more rooish behavior to me but I don't raise chickens so can't assure you of that. I do know that both sexes can tussle though.

 

[TXchickmum]

I have a pair of bantam hens that will occasionally fluff out the neck feathers at one another. My Golden Comet girls also did this on the occasion. -stopped at about 10/12 weeks, though. My two cockerels tended to fluff out the feathers, lower their heads, and give a swift kick from time to time. (the cockerels have quit this type of thing, too, and get along well now. -have established dominance, and both of them run about the lawn without incident) It initially worried me to pieces.

 

[gec7]

Both roosters and hens fight. My cockerels fight like that more often than the hens, but both sexes constantly are establishing pecking orders.

 

[newbiechix]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I was a bit worried that I had a flock of all roosters when I noticed the fighting. I started off with 12 chickens a few months back and am down to only 7 of the original group as I've had to rehome my roos (I can't have them where I live). I suppose there may still be a few males in the flock since they're only about 15 weeks old now, so time will tell.

 

[TXchickmum]

If they're 15 weeks old and you've not heard crows, I would venture to say you're safe. (I guess, however, there might be one that hasn't piped up yet. -but I'd think, unlikely.)

 

[newbiechix]

It seems like a new one starts crowing each time I find a new home for the one that was previously crowing. Almost as if they're taking turns. I actually just traded one of my roos for what was supposed to be a black sex-link hen, but after two days she spent all morning crowing up a storm. I guess she's not a she after all. Sigh.