Jealous aggression or pecking order fight? First blood drawn this evening

[lowflyer]

I have 23 young birds of various laying breeds, including 6 bantams. Of the standard sized ones, 3 have turned out to be roosters so far.

This evening while doing my walk-through of the coop and their run, I picked up the larger of the two Buff Orpingtons that I think might be pullets...maybe. As usual, she squawked for a moment like I was killing her, then settled right into my arms once I talked to her and stroked her back and neck. I let her kind of perch on my arm, and she was making a contented "herk...herk...herk" sound. The other 3 Buffs were hanging out near my feet, walking back and forth and looking kind of unhappy, making almost alarmed, sort of distressed sounds, watching the one I was holding. One would walk a little ways away, yelping, then look back before turning around and coming back around. I assumed they were hanging out there because they expected crumbs to be dropped near my feet.

As soon as I went to set her back on the ground, the other three made a beeline for her(him?) and attacked. One hung back after the initial peck, but the others were up on their haunches, kicking like mad roosters, hackles up, just tearing into the one who was just on my arm. A few minutes later, I noticed blood on that one's neck. I was able to grab him/her? again, for a closer look at the wound. It had apparently just happened as it was very fresh. There was a fairly deep gash in the "side wattle" area, it kind of looks like that red side wattle got ripped off, or maybe it is just a nasty peck-hole.

That was totally unexpected. Is this a "pecking order" squabble, and poor Jane was looking "too comfortable" and physically "roosting above her station"?

I have 4 Buff Orpingtons, bought them as "pullets" but it's apparent that 2 of those are boys. Not sure yet about the other two. I got them within a couple weeks of each other, as little fuzzy yellow chicks from TSC. I thought they were about 10 or 12 weeks old since I got them in April sometime, but someone else on here said they've got to be 18 or 19 weeks.

I've handled them daily since I got them, but they still are rather flighty. They come running for treats, but are wary and run when I try to pick them up.

Here's 3 of them, waiting for treats and ignoring the Barred Rock behind them.




Another picture, along with a couple mottled cochin bantams.


And all 4 together. That's a rooster, alright!

 

[Alaskan]

IMMEDIATELY remove the one being pecked on... Even the sweetest of hens will turn into the most vicious blood thirsty piranhas at the sight of blood.

Not kidding, they will eat her alive.


I don't think it had anything to do with you holding her... There must have been a tiny spot of blood... That is all that they need to be set off


(And yes I do love my chickens, bless their little hearts!)

 

[lowflyer]

It must have been a very small speck, because I was holding her(him?) in my right arm, but didn't see anything. Only after I put her down, then saw the others go after her, did I see any blood. I know they have excellent eyesight, and may have been as to spot a tiny bit that wasn't apparent to a mere human.

I will separate her when I get home from work. The coop is sizable with lots of perches and roosts and ramps and hiding places, and the run is L- shaped and fairly large. So she can probably find a place to get away from the others.

I still wonder if she is actually a he, though, since they are apparently older than I thought they were, and Buff Orpington roosters look a lot more like hens than some.

 

[Alaskan]

Good luck!

 

[aart]

I've had this happen to chickens I was handling...some of the others will come up and try to peck the one being held or after it's put down.
Not to the extent that you describe....and I have no clue why this happens, but I've seen more than a few times - I just pop the aggressors on the head if I can.

I think Alaskan was referring to the blood that happen after you put it down.
You have to be careful if a bird has a bleeding wound, the others can really go after it and make it much worse.
Doesn't always happen but beware and remove the wounded bird if the other try to eat it.


2 on the left sure look like cockerels to me, much more color and size to comb than the one on the right.
How old are they?

........

 

[lowflyer]

I got them at different times, over the span of about 2 to 3 weeks, from the middle of March to the first part of April. They were fuzzy yellow chicks from TSC sold as pullets. Haha! Surprise!!

But I've been told they look much older. I think my TSC tells everybody they're "a day old" as long as they are still fuzzies without any regular feathering yet!

I checked on them after work yesterday, and she looks fine. No new wounds, and she's running around doing chicken stuff. I think having plenty of space helps with the pecking issue. She is near the top of the pecking order (the Buffs rule the roost) and would normally be one of the "big peckers" which makes it less likely anyone else would try anything with her.

And it's odd that it happened with the Buffs since none of those are particularly eager to be held. They run if they think I'm trying to catch them, even though they know by now they're getting a treat. They do settle right down in my arms, but they don't actively look for attention like some of the others.