What type of behavior is this? (Photos)

[MrsKroo]

I have two Orpingtons about 8 months old and about two months ago I introduced three Serama chickens.
The seramas are about 12 weeks old now. I have two cockerels and one pullet.
One of my Orpington gets really puffy when I bring the seramas outside to spend sometime in the walk in run.
She can see them clearly but can’t get to them. She makes a squawking noise and puffs up. Specially when she sees the biggest cockerel.
What type of behavior is this? Anyone can give some idea of what’s going through her head?

 

[LaFleche]

Yeah. She puffs up to twice her size!!!

Those little cockerels get impudent raising their hackles at her, and she wants to put them in their place.

 

[cluckingheck]

I don’t know if she’s broody or not, but my black australorp hen did this once when she snuck past me and got into the quarantine pen. I bought two GLWs that were the same age and as soon as she saw them, she puffed up just like that and tried fighting them. A lot of the time I think it’s a territorial thing, because she’s high up in the pecking order and my GLWs were newcomers in ‘her’ territory. She wasn’t broody at the time and never has been yet.

 

[LaFleche]

I have two Orpingtons about 8 months old and about two months ago I introduced three Serama chickens.
The seramas are about 12 weeks old now. I have two cockerels and one pullet.
One of my Orpington gets really puffy when I bring the seramas outside to spend sometime in the walk in run.
She can see them clearly but can’t get to them. She makes a squawking noise and puffs up. Specially when she sees the biggest cockerel.
What type of behavior is this? Anyone can give some idea of what’s going through her head? View attachment 2655394View attachment 2655395

Ms Sumo tries to scare him (the nasty little bugger) off.

 

[MrsKroo]

Another thought - maybe she thinks those are her chicks.. since they're small..?

But the behavior seems more hostile than motherly

 

[K0k0shka]

She's puffing up to look big and imposing and show them who's boss around here. That's not a broody reaction. If she could get to them, she'd probably follow through with a peck or two as well.

 

[MrsKroo]

She may never learn to love them, but she'll probably get used to them and tolerate them eventually. She'll need a lot of time and exposure to accept them though. Keep bringing them out and leaving them within her sight as often as you can. Eventually you'll be able to let them all out together, but there's no way of knowing how long that will take. Read her cues and let her guide the process. If she still puffs up, then she needs more time. If she's okay most of the time but occasionally still puffs up a little, then probably needs a little more time. When she starts just ignoring them, you can probably try letting them out together, somewhere with lots of places for the seramas to escape if need be (things to hide behind or under). And supervise those first outings carefully. They'll get used to each other, it will just take some time.

Thank you for the information. I agree with you. I have seen her get more used to them but not there yet. We’ll just keep waiting for her to get used to them being around.

 

[Chickensandhorsesforlife]

Wow! I have never seen that before! has she been broody recently, or has chicks? Is she living alone?

 

[All4Eggz]

She's definitely broody or just stopped being broody or is about to become broody.
does she sit in the nest most of the time?

 

[All4Eggz]

Another thought - maybe she thinks those are her chicks.. since they're small..?