Why is my hen fluffing up like a turkey?

[avalentine]

All of a sudden one of my hens has started fluffing up and strutting around like she is a male turkey! Is this her way of trying to dominate? Or are there other reasons a hen might do this?

A little background- we have 2 Buff Orps around 11 months old, and the smaller one (Willy) is the one strutting her stuff. She is a funny girl- skittish & standoffish, and she often has a poopy butt that I am ready to give up on.

 

[Desert Rooster]

She could be showing the other hen who's the boss, or a broody hen will do that as well
and Hello

and

from Hesperia,Ca

 

[bywaterdog]

Quote:
Being that she is a Buff Orpington I also would go with going broody.

 

[tammyd57]

I'm thinking she is showing dominance to the other hen. Broodies usually do their puffer fish imitation while on the nest and not "strutting around". Most broodies I've picked off the nest and put on the ground just fall over and lay there for a minute before trying to get back into the nest.

 

[ScissorChick]

Exactly what above posters said

Broody hens with puff up like what you are describing.

 

[galanie]

haha I have one that does that constantly to try to show she's boss... but she isn't! She only dreams of being the top hen. The top hen has finally gotten so she does it back sometimes. But usually Big Girl just ignores her till she gets really irritated then pecks the snot out of Ms. Turkey Feathers.

 

[TeamChaos]

Ethel, my broody buff orpington, has mastered the angry turkey stomp! She did it whenever she was off the eggs to eat and drink and now when she's got babies, she does the dance at any chicken that approaches! I think Willy is broody!

 

[poodlepill]

Wow, I didnt know they would puff up like that to show dominance. I have a hen right now who has been clucking and puffing like the broody puff and cluck but she's NOT in her box. I fugured she was maybe going to start to go broody?

I guess I will see if this is the beginnigs of a broody hen or if she is trying to be bossy.....interesting

 

[avalentine]

Thanks folks! I will keep my eye on her- so far she doesn't seem to be spending that much time on the nest so perhaps she is just trying to stand up to her companion. I guess time will tell, eh?

The other girl, Henny, seems to be scouting for a nesting location. When I let them out in the yard (we live in San Francisco but have a decent sized yard) she has recently started marching around the house to the garbage bins under the stairs. We have about a half bale of hay stashed there and I think she is getting ideas.... time to put up that gate I have been thinking about! So far I haven't found any eggs over there, but it's a pretty awkward place to look. I guess I will have to spend Easter hunting for eggs!