Do you have any pictures or stories of chickens fence fighting?

[Shadrach]

One of the strangest and unexplained chicken behaviours is fence fighting.
I'm interested in other peoples experiences of this behaviour.

 

[john_wrightson2003]

Heck no, I dont have pics... But mine do it every now and then, when one is locked up, and the other is out.

 

[Ted_Harrell]

I have three separate coops and when I let one coop out, the other is still locked up, and yes they sometimes try to act like the cage is holding them back. I guess they try to prove what a tough little hen they are.

 

[sourland]

It's sort of like folks acting like 'tough guys' on the internet. It's easy to taunt when protected by a barrier.

 

[Ted_Harrell]

Yes sir, easy to be bold when a fence is holding the opponent back

 

[aart]

Have seen it between cock/erels, no pics tho.
It happens tho, try searching on youtube.

This little one was trying to have a go at the hen on the other side.
It was hilarious, it jumped up at her several times....
....and she just stood there and looked

 

[Shadrach]

If it was just bravado then looking at it from a human perspective, the moment both/all parties were able (free) then one would expect the stronger hen or rooster to beat the crap out of the weaker. Ime this isn't what happens.
I have a couple of maternity/isolation units which have small runs attached. Each run has a door as an entrance. A chicken can be in the run but while the door is open these fence fights don't occur. Shut the door and it's a different story.
Many chicken keepers will have seen a chicken in an enclosed run wandering back and forth along a fence when the run door is open, seemingly looking for a way out. It's a point of humour for some and the chicken gets dismissed as too stupid to find it's way out.
The two views are not compatible. If a chicken knows it's safe to taunt another chicken because the door is closed and he/she can't be got at then the idea that they are too stupid to find there way out when the door is open doesn't really make sense.
Usually from what I've seen it is not the enclosed chicken that starts the fights; it's the chicken on the outside of the fence.

 

[aart]

It's a point of humour for some and the chicken gets dismissed as too stupid to find it's way out.

Well, that is sometimes the case...not sure 'stupid' is the right word tho.
I have two runs attached to one coop.
Have seen birds pacing the fence of one run wanting to go to the other run and 'forgetting' they have to go thru the coop to get to the other run. Then a light bulb goes off and they make the trip with no problem.

 

[roosterhavoc]

If it was just bravado then looking at it from a human perspective, the moment both/all parties were able (free) then one would expect the stronger hen or rooster to beat the crap out of the weaker. Ime this isn't what happens.
I have a couple of maternity/isolation units which have small runs attached. Each run has a door as an entrance. A chicken can be in the run but while the door is open these fence fights don't occur. Shut the door and it's a different story.
Many chicken keepers will have seen a chicken in an enclosed run wandering back and forth along a fence when the run door is open, seemingly looking for a way out. It's a point of humour for some and the chicken gets dismissed as too stupid to find it's way out.
The two views are not compatible. If a chicken knows it's safe to taunt another chicken because the door is closed and he/she can't be got at then the idea that they are too stupid to find there way out when the door is open doesn't really make sense.
Usually from what I've seen it is not the enclosed chicken that starts the fights; it's the chicken on the outside of the fence.

Like everything else it depends on the breed. Some birds will kill themselves through the wire. I’ve seen both birds start it. It’s territorial behavior.

 

[HuffleClaw]

I have these