Puffing up question from newbie:-)

[karri25]

I looked at ALL of the archives and couldn't find anything on this. It isn't a big deal, I just want to know what my babies are doing and why they are doing it. This morning when I let them out (13 girls and 1 roo) they began running at each other, puffing up, and sometimes softly pecking under each others beaks. It looked as if they were squaring off with each other. They are around 10 weeks old and are left outside all day. I watched them for awhile and they kept on doing it to each other. Are they establishing dominance? I just want to figure out what they are doing and if it's normal.
Oh, also their run is 25 X 20 ft.
THanks so much!

Ps when will my roo start crowing????

 

[bayouchica]

Hi there, just sounds like they're trying to figure out the pecking order.
About the crowing,I guess depends on the breed.I have had standards that didn't start crowing until they were 5 to 6 months.But I got a couple of bantam roos that were trying to crow around 2 months.
Miriam

 

[Rosalind]

Yes, my not-very-dominant roos do this to each other to establish who is #3 or #4 in the hierarchy on any particular day. As long as they don't draw blood and no one gets pecked bald, it's OK.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

My 6 week old RIR cockeral is making his first attempts at crowing now. Don't know how long until it is a full fledged crow, though.

 

[karri25]

THanks for the info! My roo is a 10 week old red sex link. My friend's bantam roo who is only a bit older is already crowing and it is so cute. I can't wait to hear mine, although I'm sure my neighbors can

 

[oceanbird]

Do hens do this behavior as well? I have six Rhode Island Reds and they all do this when I put them outside-I'm hoping not all of them are roos-haha!