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I'm wondering if I've got weird chickens or if this behaviour is normal. They all get along fine - the odd peck but nothing much but the other day I noticed one - Dimble - pecking at another's - Mimzy -beak. Mimzy just stood there and let her and didn't seem stressed. Dimble then went over to another chicken and started again. I couldn't see any food or anything on their beaks. Just put them in the run and she's doing it again. Does this mean she is lacking something or is it affection or have I just got incredibly strange chickens?
I've had them nearly four months and never noticed this before. Any thoughts welcome.

WEIRD!I was about to post almost same thread!!we have 10 bogstandard brown hens & have just got 2 pied suffolk chiks(6wks old),we've sectioned off a corner of the run for them & today they were doing the very same thing to each other through the wire!started off seeming affectionate but then the big one pulled a chicks feathers(meanie),that said the chicks were still hanging around poking their beaks through the wire for more!

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the fates lead him who will;him who won't they drag.

Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

I've noticed my chickens doing this to each other too - well, one does it to the other two. My thoughts were that it was some sort of fussy clean up ritual - a bit like the dreaded occasions when we were children and mum used to wipe our faces with the wet hankie! Be interested to see what others think on this, but suspect it may be more common than we think?

Mine do it too, I thinks its sweet.
Weird IS normal for chooks I have found

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updated 14 May 2008

Well, if my chickens are weird - at least they are not alone! Feel slightly relieved but would love to know what they are doing. Maybe it just one of the world's great mysteries.

watching them chase mozzies has got to be th best!

__________________
the fates lead him who will;him who won't they drag.

Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

mine do that too.. I asked about it on another forum and the only suggestion was that maybe the pecked hen (who seemed completely unfazed by it) has something on her beak that looked tasty/ interesting as it didn't seem in the slightest bit aggressive.. it looked to me almost like the footage you see of seagull chicks pecking the red spot on the parents beak to get food, but chickens don't do that do they? just one of the fascinating little quirks of chicken behavior.. not that i get to sit and observe them being normal much anymore, since they figured out I'm where the food comes from they all pile on my lap when i get in there in search of treats and woe betide me if i've come without an offering or two.. Apart from their bedraggled appearence I don't think you'd believe that they're the same birds that were in a factory only a week and a half ago!

I love seeing mine chasing flies too, especially when they turn on the spot, but last weekend saw something even better. Next door has a new kitten who had great fun the whole day stalking and pouncing on the chickens, who jumped a mile every time and made a right old racket. I wasn't worried as they had seen off several other cats and was letting the kitten learn its lesson. Finally, the chickens got fed up and ganged up on the kitten. It had been squirming along for another pounce when up marched Psycho (this should give you some idea of her character), spread her wings and started a staring contest. There was less than an inch between nose and beak. If only I had had a camera. The poor little kit's eyes were watering before it finally slinked away. It hasn't been back!