Why is my hen pecking my other hen when I pet her???

[shadow rabbit10]

Hi,
Lately, three of my hens have started squatting for me, but two still don't. Whenever I go near my Orpington, she squats, so I pet her. However, ever since yesterday, my Polish hen will run up to my Orp and peck her on the head twice after I touch her. Why would she do this? She is bottom of the pecking order and my Orp is the top, although my hens don't really enforce the order on each other. When my Polish pecks her, I will pick her up and she freaks out. My Silkie pecked my Polish after I picked her up today, so I think she sticks up for my Orpington sometimes. (My Silkie is second in command) Does my Polish not want me to be dominant over my Orpington?

 

[salt and pepper]

is the polish a roo? if so thats the reason, if not, she might be trying to make her way up in the pecking order. and since squatting is submission, she's just taking the chance

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

She might be jealous. I know, can chickens go jealous? But I have a bunch of BO's and they really do. I have two who get along really well. But one went broody a few weeks back and the other one started beating her up. Using her feet even. So I separated the broody and three days later when she was no longer broody, the other hen was fine.

I really feel she was jealous that she got to raise babies several months back and my gut tells me that the bully really wants to be a mama.

Once they all go broody,they should be okay. Try to pet the squatting one so that the other can't see or deflect her from pecking by gently pushing her away with the back of your hand.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

The Polish is a hen. I would think she is jealous, but she doesn't even like when I pet her. I try to touch my Polish and she squawks and runs. However, they all did that until they started squatting. Maybe she is trying to make her way up. However, my Silkie seems to be punishing her for it.