Hen pulling at Tom's chest feathers?

[SillyChicken]

Anyone know what might be going on with this? My thought is stress... or he's too close to the eggs they started laying. I have confined them from free ranging so they could go broody where I want them too.... The hen is pulling pretty hard on his chest feathers.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have witnessed my hens do this but I have no idea why. Sorry.

 

[Haida]

I was wondering the same this, actually... I have seen my hen do it a few times--looks like it huuuurts! My poor jake!! I think its more of a curiosity thing... she tilts her head and looks at it really hard... then switches eyes.. then cautiously pecks. Then pecks again and grabs! Ow ow ow!

My jake (maybe he's a "tom" now, idk) and hen are only about a year and 4 months old, and his beard is finally starting to poke through his chest feathers... kind of looks like a pinecone. She doesn't peck at anyone else or peck her own feathers, so I'm not toooo concerned... I am keeping a close eye on her, though.

Maybe she wants her own beard? Lol!

 

[kuntrygirl]

I was wondering the same this, actually... I have seen my hen do it a few times--looks like it huuuurts! My poor jake!! I think its more of a curiosity thing... she tilts her head and looks at it really hard... then switches eyes.. then cautiously pecks. Then pecks again and grabs! Ow ow ow! 

My jake (maybe he's a "tom" now, idk) and hen are only about a year and 4 months old, and his beard is finally starting to poke through his chest feathers... kind of looks like a pinecone. She doesn't peck at anyone else or peck her own feathers, so I'm not toooo concerned... I am keeping a close eye on her, though. 

Maybe she wants her own beard? Lol!

My hens have beards.

 

[Haida]

My hens have beards.

THAT'S AWESOME!

I have a few teenagers that are just starting to come into their own... I know I have one female, but another one acts like a hen, talks like a hen but looks like a boy... I wonder if "she'll" have a beard, too? Does it even work that way? Do your bearded hens act like toms?