Please help!! My chicks are freaking out and I have no idea why

[redinator]

I know this is a few months later, but I am having the same situation and pretty sure its because one of my 10 week old ISA Brown pullets bullies the three others once in the coop at night. Its when all 4 are on the roost bar (just one height) and Im wondering if its because she wants the lower hierarchy pullets to go lower? Sometimes its really bad, she actually is mounting them like a cockerel would. Do you have any advice? Maybe install a lower roost bar? Im pretty sure they will all remain on the high one together tho. Its also possible she wants the spot closest to the wall for safety ... not sure.

The coop is 7 feet long x 4 wide x 4 feet tall so enough room. They have an 8 foot x8 foot x6 foot tall run attached to the coop. They have 4-5 small nightlights that they scream bloody murder if removed. They have an exhaust fan and an intake fan that blows over their heads so no drafts. There are two roosting bars at equal height but they never use the other one.

This particular pullet also acts like a cockerel - when I am sitting in the run, sometimes she will challenge me by trying to attack my hand and glaring at me, sneak behind me to bite my arms and legs, and makes the growl/whine almost constantly towards me. I hand raised them for 1 day old, and she was my most affectionate one until 3 weeks ago. She was always the bold one, now she's just seems angry all the time. Id be sure she was a cockerel if she wasn't a dark brown . She also has a red comb and wattles that the others lack.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Pictures of the chick in question would be needed to be sure, but sounds like a cockerel if it has red combs and wattles at ten weeks? Are dark brown ISA sex linked?

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I know this is a few months later, but I am having the same situation and pretty sure its because one of my 10 week old ISA Brown pullets bullies the three others once in the coop at night. Its when all 4 are on the roost bar (just one height) and Im wondering if its because she wants the lower hierarchy pullets to go lower? Sometimes its really bad, she actually is mounting them like a cockerel would. Do you have any advice? Maybe install a lower roost bar? Im pretty sure they will all remain on the high one together tho. Its also possible she wants the spot closest to the wall for safety ... not sure.

The coop is 7 feet long x 4 wide x 4 feet tall so enough room. They have an 8 foot x8 foot x6 foot tall run attached to the coop. They have 4-5 small nightlights that they scream bloody murder if removed. They have an exhaust fan and an intake fan that blows over their heads so no drafts. There are two roosting bars at equal height but they never use the other one.

This particular pullet also acts like a cockerel - when I am sitting in the run, sometimes she will challenge me by trying to attack my hand and glaring at me, sneak behind me to bite my arms and legs, and makes the growl/whine almost constantly towards me. I hand raised them for 1 day old, and she was my most affectionate one until 3 weeks ago. She was always the bold one, now she's just seems angry all the time. Id be sure she was a cockerel if she wasn't a dark brown ISA. She also has a red comb and wattles that the others lack.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Did you buy the chicks from a retail outlet? Tractor Supply, etc.

The labeling of breeds (and sexes) on the bins o’ chicks at these places can be pretty humorous, at best.

 

[NatJ]

she actually is mounting them like a cockerel would.

This particular pullet also acts like a cockerel

Id be sure she was a cockerel if she wasn't a dark brown ISA. She also has a red comb and wattles that the others lack.

From what you say, I think you probably have a cockerel.

ISA Browns should have brown pullets and white cockerels, so if this bird is brown, I suspect it is some other breed. There are plenty of breeds with brown roosters, and some of the chicks can be colored just the same as ISA Brown pullet chicks, so it's not hard for them to get mixed up.

I suggest you make a thread in the "What Breed or Gender" section, with photos.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/what-breed-or-gender-is-this.15/

 

[LaFleche]

I know this is a few months later, but I am having the same situation and pretty sure its because one of my 10 week old ISA Brown pullets bullies the three others once in the coop at night. Its when all 4 are on the roost bar (just one height) and Im wondering if its because she wants the lower hierarchy pullets to go lower? Sometimes its really bad, she actually is mounting them like a cockerel would. Do you have any advice? Maybe install a lower roost bar? Im pretty sure they will all remain on the high one together tho. Its also possible she wants the spot closest to the wall for safety ... not sure.

The coop is 7 feet long x 4 wide x 4 feet tall so enough room. They have an 8 foot x8 foot x6 foot tall run attached to the coop. They have 4-5 small nightlights that they scream bloody murder if removed. They have an exhaust fan and an intake fan that blows over their heads so no drafts. There are two roosting bars at equal height but they never use the other one.

This particular pullet also acts like a cockerel - when I am sitting in the run, sometimes she will challenge me by trying to attack my hand and glaring at me, sneak behind me to bite my arms and legs, and makes the growl/whine almost constantly towards me. I hand raised them for 1 day old, and she was my most affectionate one until 3 weeks ago. She was always the bold one, now she's just seems angry all the time. Id be sure she was a cockerel if she wasn't a dark brown ISA. She also has a red comb and wattles that the others lack.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

By your description you probably have a Rhode Island Red cockerel feeling hormonal.