I recently introduced 3 new young silkies to my silkie roo. He immediately pecked on one of them and did it again to the same one the next time they were in the coop together. He didn't peck the other two. Does this mean he recognized the pecked chicken as another male? Also, I keep seeing two of the young silkies fight each other. Does this mean that they are the same sex (hopefully female!) and are working out the pecking order? Or can roos and hens face off like this? I know silkies are hard to sex so I'm hoping these behaviors are clues. Thanks for any feedback!
im not sure about the rooster pecking the one, but when any chicken is introduced they fight. and hens can fight like roosters and roosters and hens can fight
females and males will both fight. I don't think it means he recognized it as male or female, if anything I think it doesn't matter to them at all at that age. if you had all females they would still squabble. it is normal for them to work out the pecking order, the earlier the better since it will hurt more later. roos and hens will face off, roo vs roo might have more to prove as they get older and their hormones start working (around maturity age)
Thank you for the clarification. It's a relief to hear that it's not necessarily because my silkies are males that they are fighting.
