Myrna thinks she is a turkey!

[Katie Pigtails]

So does anyone know what is going on here? It appears as if Myrna thinks she is a turkey!!

Our girls are 10 months old. Our barred rock is our dominant hen and Myrna is the middle child. The barred rock is very aggressive and now has her own run and coop where she can't terrorize the other two all day. She had pulled most of Myrna's head feathers out and had almost killed our other hen. The two runs share a common wall so they can see each other all day but it minimizes the feather pulling and brutality (i.e. bloody messes). They all three get to roam the yard when I'm home to maintain order. Which seems to work well but lately when the barred rock has been getting near Myrna, Myrna will puff up and make this crazy sound. Is this just a show for intimidation purposes? It does seem to have stopped some of the pecking.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Broodies do that.

Maybe her broodiness hormones are turning on?

 

[Teresaann24]

She is acting like a broody or a hen with chicks. Its a normal behavior have you seen her doing other things that make you think she may be broody? Collecting eggs sitting for long periods in a nest? Plucking feathers from her breast?

 

[Katie Pigtails]

She has not done anything else to make me think she might be broody. She does not sit in the nest box except when she is laying and as soon as she is done she leaves. There have been a few of her fluffy feathers in the nest box lately but not very many. I haven't noticed her pulling feathers out. The only time I see her do this is when she is out in the yard and the barred rock comes over to her (especially if there are treats around). Silly chicken!

 

[Pinky]

I had a young rooster that acted broody. He was crazy

He would puff up and spread his wings just like a broody hen.