Do young pullets ever act like roos?

[Dagmarvelous]

My black australorps are now 7 weeks old and I STILL can't tell them apart! Some of the combs are looking bigger, but even the ones with little combs sometimes act funny.

Do pullets ever act like roos? I mean, sometimes when I let them all out to free range, they get all excited and a couple of them will go head to head, fluff up their neck feathers and jump and bump each other. Clearly I'm thinking these are the roos, but one will have a much bigger comb (still growing) than the other one. Not only that, but the second one's comb is really small and not red at all. So my question is, will a pullet ever try to act "cocky" with another chicken?

Do I really have to wait until their spurs grow until I can tell the difference between all of them?

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Yes, pullets do that too. Never assume a chick's gender just from its behavior.

 

[Gonzo]

Sure, They're probally working out the pecking order. I have an Australorp hen who is top dog. I've seen her chase down and flog our BO Rooster for thinking he was going to get somewhere with her. It's all about the pecking order.

 

[chauqg]

But will roos squat down when you raise you hand over them. My birds are very friendly and I pet them often. Many times when I raise my hand to pet their back or neck they shudder their feed and prepare to be mounted. I have thought this was a clear sign of a mature pullet?

Do roos ever do this?

 

[juliechick]

Quote:
I've never seen a roo do the squat. Did you say they're only 7 weeks? It would be unusual for pullets to do it that early.

ETA: I see now, you're not the OP. Sounds like you have pullets about ready to lay.

 

[chauqg]

Yes Julie they are laying, but still cant determine the roo(s). My RIR hens have some big, beautiful combs and wattles, but they are laying eggs and the will do the squat for me.

 

[NellaBean]

I had a roo squat for me a few times.....he is pretty submissive and was trying really hard to get away from me...by the time I hunted him down and cornered him, he squatted when I went to pick him up. he just really wanted me to know he was not trying to be top dog, I think.

 

[dappertophatter]

I've never had a roo squat.

My Polish girls spar all the time- they're only a few months old and still figuring out their pecking order.

 

[teach1rusl]

You'll eventually be able to tell based on feather development too. My son still insists that my BA looks like a rooster (he's only looking at her really large comb and wattle), so at least when they're young, it's not easy to tell based on comb development (at least w/some breeds). And chest bumping is normal with pullets too...

 

[Gypsy07]

My flock of ladies have the occasional dust-up with my neighbour's flock, also all ladies. Both of us let our hens free range and her hens prefer our farmyard to forage in, so quite often they all meet up and have a squabble about territory. They stand up tall, eyeball each other, puff up chests, fluff up feathers, strut around, jump, claw and peck at each other. Not very ladylike behaviour!