playing vs fighting

[shannonb33]

I have 3 buff orpington hens that are 16 weeks old and 3 speckled sussex hens that are 15 weeks old. We have never had any issues of fighting. In the last week it seems as if they have segregate by breed (weird but true). The buffs will post together and then the sussex will post together. The last 2 days I've noticed a couple of buffs with run around the pen a couple of times and the fly at each other. This will happen a few times then the other hens start to get involved. Today, all 3 buffs were chasing a sussex around and then they were jumping at each other. Then the other sussex got involved and we stopped it by going outside ( I was worried they were fighting). Is this normal behavior? Are they playing or fighting? None appear injured. All 6 are extremely friendly and social.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Play fighting,any fights and playing should not ever be interrupted as it only makes things worse.

 

[aart]

I have 3 buff orpington hens that are 16 weeks old and 3 speckled sussex hens that are 15 weeks old. We have never had any issues of fighting. In the last week it seems as if they have segregate by breed (weird but true). The buffs will post together and then the sussex will post together. The last 2 days I've noticed a couple of buffs with run around the pen a couple of times and the fly at each other. This will happen a few times then the other hens start to get involved. Today, all 3 buffs were chasing a sussex around and then they were jumping at each other. Then the other sussex got involved and we stopped it by going outside ( I was worried they were fighting). Is this normal behavior? Are they playing or fighting? None appear injured. All 6 are extremely friendly and social.

Welcome to BYC!
Hard to say what is going on...they may just be sparring, they can get pretty rambunctious. It's kind of funny to watch.
Have these birds lived together since hatch?
Are you positive they are all females?
As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or one bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, just leave them to it.