Silkie name salt has become very salty...

[Kells ks]

It went from the bottom of the pecking order to top of the other possibility 2(pullet/salt & Pepper and omelet/cockerel) all 3 are about 13 weeks oldish..... now I think she trying to challenge me. She’ll come up and do a happy feet dance to me and get low as she wants me to pet her. kinda fluffs up / no wing flap. she been pushing the other 2 out of the way if they come near me. So today I went to close the run. Salt runs up and gets low I went to pet her and move her out of the way and she pecked me, So I was like oh yeah & pinched my two fingers together and pecked her back. Ever since she beat up my cockerel her behavior has been very odd. Anyone deal with this behavior before?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Ever since she beat up my cockerel her behavior has been very odd. Anyone deal with this behavior before?

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!
Yep, from cockerels usually. Got pics?

 

[aart]

Anyone deal with this behavior before?

Yep...I don't have silkies, but it can happen with any breed I would think.

Have had this happen several times, mostly with hand fed chicks often as they come of age and get spunky. It's pretty easily curbed with calm and deliberate determination.

I peck them back, on the head or anywhere I can reach, with the tips of thumb and first 2 fingers, as hard and fast as many times as I can before they get away. Well, not hard enough to hurt them, just startle them and let them you mean business. That's what another chicken would do, so they understand that kind of communication.

If that doesn't work after a couple applications, I hold them down to the ground with my hand on their back until they submit....again firmly enough to get the job done but not hurt them....add a few finger pecks and/or tug on the feathers on the back of their neck.

 

[Chickassan]

Should have named her something less salty.

 

[Kells ks]

Only hand fed them at about 10 weeks old to train them to go into the coop when it was bed time and stop after about a week. But here some pictures, my 3 y/o &10 y/o named them so I think you can figure out who is who. Omelet always been smaller of the 3 and it’s as clear as day he a cockerel. He was the king until salt beat him up. Salt & pepper will go at it and it’s Pepper who starts it. Nothing to violent always been like that.. They turned 13 weeks on the 18th of August.

 

[aart]

Are you positive that Salt is a female?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Are you positive that Salt is a female?

My thought, too. Silkies can be so slow to mature.

 

[Eevee]

Only hand fed them at about 10 weeks old to train them to go into the coop when it was bed time and stop after about a week. But here some pictures, my 3 y/o &10 y/o named them so I think you can figure out who is who. Omelet always been smaller of the 3 and it’s as clear as day he a cockerel. He was the king until salt beat him up. Salt & pepper will go at it and it’s Pepper who starts it. Nothing to violent always been like that.. They turned 13 weeks on the 18th of August.

Only hand fed them at about 10 weeks old to train them to go into the coop when it was bed time and stop after about a week. But here some pictures, my 3 y/o &10 y/o named them so I think you can figure out who is who. Omelet always been smaller of the 3 and it’s as clear as day he a cockerel. He was the king until salt beat him up. Salt & pepper will go at it and it’s Pepper who starts it. Nothing to violent always been like that.. They turned 13 weeks on the 18th of August.

Are you sure those silkies are only 13 weeks old? There is sure alot of comb and wattle developement in all 3 of them especially the top and bottom picture. The ones with the red combs I would guess are cockerels at 13 weeks. The black one I am not sure about.

 

[Folly's place]

I agree, two cockerels, sorry.
Mary

 

[Kells ks]

Welp if this is true 2 cockerels , how do I keep them from fighting and happily coexist with each other and not be a total jerk towards me and my family.