Hen Goosed Roo?

[ClareScifi]

My 14 week old Roo was being so good, eating his mash, when his StepMama, who has never liked him, came up from behind in a surprise attack and goosed his rear end! The poor little Roo was taken by surprise by this and jumped at least 3 feet in the air.

Has anyone ever seen a hen do this? What could it mean? She has never been with a Rooster. She almost pecked this roo to death when he was first hatched, along with another roo chick. Maybe she dislikes males??

I've inspected for damage, but I see no blood. It was sure a sneaky ambush! I had thought they had made peace with each other and were co-existing okay, but I guess I was wrong!

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

Were they recently introduced? Peaking order maybe? Either of those could cause a bit of bickering... but nothing too drastic for the peaking order I would think.

 

[Minniechickmama]

She thinks it is HER flock and she is the ALPHA, but here is this roo trying to take over. She no likey!

 

[ClareScifi]

StepMama and the other 5 chicks live outdoors, but the little Roo who got goosed lives inside in the Solarium and plays outside during the sunny days. They've been navigating around each other nicely the last few weeks (I don't dare let the other two outdoor roo chicks around the indoor roo-- they will kill him, and I need to find homes for them), but the hen chicks get along well with my indoor roo. StepMama has always disliked him. Now that he's bigger he will sometimes pick a fight, and try to get her to peck at him, but he did nothing to provoke this attack today. She acted amused that she had gotten one over on him, put the whippersnapper upstart in his place! So I'm sure pecking order does come into it. But she doesn't do this to any of the outdoor chicks? I hope he doesn't have some sort of disease she senses and is trying to keep him away from the others.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Totally dominant hen/momma hen behavior.

 

[ClareScifi]

She sure has spunk! I got upset with her, but then I realized she was just doing her job. Then she disappeared, and I worried... But she had headed over to the woodpile and found the catfood and was chowing down! I try to keep her out of it, but she always manages to find it... Sneaky little girl. And while I was looking for her, the goosed roo found the wild birdseed that had dropped and was eating it! I don't know why my birds are so big on snacks! He is not supposed to have wild birdseed, and she is not supposed to have catfood, but they just won't mind me! LOL.