Do pullets "square off", so to speak?

[trchri]

Hi all!

Looking for your expertise. We are having so much fun with our new chicks! They were sexed as pullets, but they are doing some rooster-like behavior...

They will square off, puff up, then back off. They have more than the required space and are about 1 week old. No pecking is going on that I can see.

Do pullets exhibit this type of behavior?

Thanks!
Tracy

 

[miss_jayne]

yep. all the time. especially when coming to maturation and developing a peck order.

 

[crazyhen]

They are determining the pecking order. Aren't they funny. Both males and females do this. Gloria Jean

 

[Mahonri]

It won't be long and you'll know who the head hen is. SHE will let you know!

 

[willheveland]

Yes, they are just seeing who is going to rule the roost. Will

 

[Casey3043]

The chicks I got in April are now 6 weeks old and moved out of the brooder into their own large coop yesterday. I haven't cut the door for them to go outside yet because I have some fencing and stuff to do out there, but they are having fun running around like crazy. I bought a scrap piece of vinyl for the floor (it's concrete) and they are like kids running and then sliding on the aspen shavings on this slick floor. They are also posturing, flapping, chasing, and squaring off. They are really full of it. They have flown up to the roost already, and here I thought 27 inches might be too high for them and they would have to sleep on the floor for a while. Hah! They found a line of ants coming in at the corner, and are gobbling them up as fast as they can. I wondered why they were all gathered in that corner with their heads to the wall! They are such fun to watch.

When I get their fencing up, I will let them out into their own yard which adjoins the yard where the older hens are. Then we'll see what's what for these nervy little ones.

 

[lunkerchicken]

I have 5 week old RIR's and Buff Orps as well as 2 week old EE's. The EE's are still in the brooder but the others are out in the coop/run full time. I put the EE's out in the run for the first time yesterday for a little monitored visit with there older sisters. One of the EE's is very daring, squaring off with any of them she could find. She would puff up her chest and fling her little body at the 5 week old girls (which are significantly bigger at this time)! I let a little horse play go on and then they seemed to settle down - never got to rough. I let them have today off because it is pouring out and in the low 50's but I will have another visit with the gang tomorrow - can't wait....

 

[shortcake1806]

They sure do, we've had batches of only pullets spar. Like others said they're settling the pecking order.

 

[melvin1208]

i have new chicks myself and they are all pullets and they do the exact same thing

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Mine do this too! Mine are 11 weeks and even the pullets will square off with the roos. It's the funniest thing to watch. They stop and stand real still and stretch their necks out with their hackle feathers fully fluffed out and stare into each others eyes.