Is it true....

[wistlindixie]

Is it true that pullets will fluff up (flip up) their tail feathers if you "tump" them forward. Hard to explain what I'm talking about but imagine holding a chicken facing away from you and flipping it's backside up in the air with head pointed downward. I have heard that hens will flip their tail feathers up and fan them out (like squatting for a rooster). I have found that some of my chicks/young chickens do this and some do not. I was wondering if this would be indicative of their gender. Just curious!

 

[wistlindixie]

Is it true that pullets will fluff up (flip up) their tail feathers if you "tump" them forward. Hard to explain what I'm talking about but imagine holding a chicken facing away from you and flipping it's backside up in the air with head pointed downward. I have heard that hens will flip their tail feathers up and fan them out (like squatting for a rooster). I have found that some of my chicks/young chickens do this and some do not. I was wondering if this would be indicative of their gender. Just curious!

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

LOL! I did have an americana hen that would do that if I just walked up behind her. It actually looked like someone who would squat down if they were being pounced on.

 

[drumstick diva]

I don't know if that is a positive sign of gender, you might have something there. But it's also a sign of submission so maybe cowardly young cockeralls would do that also to keep from getting attacked by the head rooster. Besides by the time they exhibit that behavior you'd probably also know by them starting to lay, or crowing.

 

[Nicole01]

Very interesting. My SS Maple does this to where I noticed it. Now I'm off to check the others.