Do pullets chest bump?

[Sassy13]

I have a flock of 5 pullets. They are between 6-8 weeks old. Recently, Ginger, my BO pullet is chest bumping with the other girls. She starts hopping in the run and then starts pecking at Tinnie, my Dark Brahma, she is 6 weeks old. My other breeds are a Welsummer, Australorp and Cuckoo Maran. The welsummer is also chest bumping and puffing her feathers.

Last night the Ginger, my BO, flew right at me, while I was putting them in their coop at night. Everyone seems to go up the ladder to their coop but Ginger is the defiant one. She likes to hang around in her run.

Do I roosters or do hens chest bump as well to establish their pecking order? I am a newbie!

 

[Lydia Huizenga]

Both cockerels and pullets will chest bump to establish the pecking order. Have fun with you chicks!

 

[The Happster]

Do you have a photo?
Could be a pullet or a cockerel.
Buff orps are lovely. It depends how her behaviour has been apart from that.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

I thought BO are the sweetest of all. You think my BO charged at me because she was being protective of her flock at dusk? or do I need to be firm with them

I always have to be firm with mine. My hens never did that, only cockerels, but I would peck them back and they soon learned to leave me alone.

 

[nao57]

Well if you aren't sure if a behavior is negative or not, you can keep observing for awhile to make sure. And if a behavior is negative you may also grade that behavior in terms of low risk to moderate or high risk to the other birds, before sending one of them to the barbecue chamber for their crimes.

 

[ravensnow]

My boyfriend has had a few of our chicks fly at him around dusk. One Ameraucana last year, and one Favaucana (Ameraucana + Faverolles Easter Egger) this year. We interpreted this as just them acting on two instincts: seeking to be as high as possible for nighttime and seeking the protection of their big "roo" when scary nighttime happens. We've always thought it was the cutest thing, but we discourage it by putting them into the coop b/c we don't want them getting injured on the flight up (or us, if they were to land on our faces!) or just having him not be in the run when it starts to turn dark outside.

Perhaps that is what your BO is doing? Trying to roost on you for the night?

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

One of my ISA pullets flew right at me the other day.
As it turns out, she just wanted to perch on the rolls of fencing behind me.
She went right past my left shoulder -- I'm surprised that she didn't hit me with her wing.
Sure did startle me, though.

 

[Boccom]

BO are really nice I used to have one she passed old age I think she was 7 or 8ish

 

[Sassy13]

I thought BO are the sweetest of all. You think my BO charged at me because she was being protective of her flock at dusk? or do I need to be firm with them

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Did she charge at you or was she tried to run past you?