Normal pecking order or chicks are cokerels?

[MareeZoCool]

I've raised puppies & kittens, seen lots of sibling rivalry and the usual play-fighting. Today I noticed two of my (2-weeks old) chicks jumping at each other as if spurring and fighting. I'm pretty sure one is acockerel, the other I hope to be a pullet. IS THIS SPARRING(SRURRING) A SIGN OF TWO COCKERELS?

 

[jerseygirl1]

Mine are pullets, and they do it also, so not really sure

 

[Lollipop]

Just normal chick fights, Maree. Pullets are scrappy as cockerals until about 3-4 months..........Pop

 

[Keri78]

Keep an eye on "her" comb...if it shows redness or becomes more pronounced...similar or the same as your other boy...you could have a surprise little brother on your hands!

PS. Normal play fighting usually resolves itself within a couple of minutes or so...anything prolonged could draw blood...then it's game over I had one of my baby roos kill his brother when they were just a few weeks old...I didn't even know that the one was a boy yet! So be cautious...it's rare..but it could happen.

 

[americana-chick]

I would say it is definatly normal, my chicks will alwasy do that and i think it may be them trying to figure out the pecking order?

 

[MareeZoCool]

Thanks for your quick & wise replies! My hubby had been told only the cokerels fight. He's talking death sentence already.Your replies give me some great argument to his thoughts.

 

[HerbiLady]

Quote:
Oh no! Yikes! If it's any help, I was watching some serious 2-week-old chick fights this morning before work. They are definitely more serious about it than the used to be and it's not always the same chicks either. Chest bumping, popping up in the air, kicking, spurring, all kinds of posturing.

I think even hens fight amongst themselves sometimes later in life. They will definitely fight to defend their brood or their eggs, just not in quite the same way a roo does. Pecking order establishment is an ongoing thing too...they have to start sooner or later

 

[gritsar]

Tell DH he needs to come watch my two top adult hens fight. My rooster used to try and break them up, now he just gets the heck outta the way like all the other chickens.