# Are these rabbits really fighting and why do the chickens care?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 23, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951 "2017-07-23T17:00:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/1 "2017-07-23T17:00:10Z")
See subject: [2 chickens break up rabbit fight! - YouTube](https://youtu.be/D35uQCtr4EY)
It reminds me a little of when the “fun police” arrive, when a third dog breaks up (by wanting to get into it) a fake wrestle of two other dogs playing.
But I don’t get the territoriality of the birds, if that’s what is. And a more peaceful trespassby the rabbits would be tolerated?
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/2 "2017-07-23T17:09:59Z")
Yes, it is real and funny. Some rabbits are territorial and they will fight to defend their turf. Chickens can be aggressive as well and will respond to any disturbance within their territory. Both have to be because they are prey animals that evolved to survived attacks by predators as best they can. It just works out in an odd way when you combine the two.
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/3 "2017-07-23T17:17:51Z")
The rabbits are having a heated discussion about the fine points of a tale of El-ahrairah that could eventually lead to a major schism in rabbit religion. The chickens, on the other hand, are trying to lead them to a saving knowledge if the turkey zombie cat faith.
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### Author:  [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/4 "2017-07-23T23:35:36Z")
What is your specific question, Leo Bloom?
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### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/5 "2017-07-24T00:54:00Z")
Are these rabbits really fighting and why do the chickens care?
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/6 "2017-07-24T04:08:47Z")
A comment on the video agrees with what I thought. The chickens are actually joining in the fight, and the rabbits are freezing up so the chickens will become disinterested. They aren’t actually stopping the fighting. You can tell by the fact they still go after the rabbits when they try to leave.
Chickens are surprisingly aggressive. Hens will join in / attack any other hens or small critters that are fighting or flailing around on the ground. Especially hens that are lower on the pecking order - maybe they’re trying to move up in the world by picking a fight with something that’s already wounded or tired? Once nothing is flailing around they tend to lose interest quick. Fair fights probably aren’t their thing.
Source: [kimberelyg who] Owned/raised chickens.
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### Author:  [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2017, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/7 "2017-07-24T04:19:59Z")
Wow. I really preferred the peacemaker story. Having known a few roosters though, I gotta say BigT is making a lot of sense.
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### Author:  [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2017, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/8 "2017-07-24T04:22:04Z")
What is a rabbit’s fight strategy? I guess it must be to back into you and kick out with its rear legs like a horse. The only other risk I can envision from a rabbit encounter in a dark alley is mild nibbling if you stand still for too long.
And I can’t think that a chicken would win too many fights with other animals. So I guess if was a chicken, and I wanted to show how tough I was, I too might pick a fight with a rabbit.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2017, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/9 "2017-07-24T05:38:27Z")
> [@Riemann](#):
>
> What is a rabbit’s fight strategy? I guess it must be to back into you and kick out with its rear legs like a horse. The only other risk I can envision from a rabbit encounter in a dark alley is mild nibbling if you stand still for too long.
Yes, rabbits can kick like a horse and they can use their teeth if they have to. I used to have a house rabbit named Bianca that was very sweet in general but could hurt you if she wanted to get away. Her back legs were strong and she would kick you hard if she didn’t want to be held.
The excellent fictional book Watership Down is all about rabbit aggression and rabbit societies. It is obviously not a true story but the idea didn’t pop out of nowhere either. I have had lots of rabbits and they will fight and kick if they feel threatened.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/10 "2017-07-24T12:49:49Z")
If I ever publish my memoirs, I’m leaning this way for the title.
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2017, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/11 "2017-07-24T13:34:30Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> If I ever publish my memoirs, I’m leaning this way for the title.
I thought you were going with \*There’s the Little Girl.
\*
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/12 "2017-07-24T14:57:53Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#):
>
> I thought you were going with \*There’s the Little Girl.
> \*
Touché
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2017, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/13 "2017-07-26T20:42:20Z")
Meanwhile, sheep [are willing to give rabbits a lift](http://gizmodo.com/wild-rabbits-caught-hitchhiking-on-sheep-to-escape-floo-1797265049).
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### Author:  [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2017, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/14 "2017-07-26T21:42:13Z")
> [@Riemann](#):
>
> What is a rabbit’s fight strategy? I guess it must be to back into you and kick out with its rear legs like a horse. The only other risk I can envision from a rabbit encounter in a dark alley is mild nibbling if you stand still for too long.
>
> And I can’t think that a chicken would win too many fights with other animals. So I guess if was a chicken, and I wanted to show how tough I was, I too might pick a fight with a rabbit.
Rabbit can rip you open down to the bone.
They have strong legs and claws.
They can also give nasty bites even though their mouth isnt set up well for biting meat
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### Author:  [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/15 "2017-07-26T21:51:23Z")
> [@Riemann](#):
>
> And I can’t think that a chicken would win too many fights with other animals. So I guess if was a chicken, and I wanted to show how tough I was, I too might pick a fight with a rabbit.
Chickens can peck and claw.
Hens are not a terrible threat, but they can scratch the heck out of you.
Rooster is a different story.
Full size and larger roosters can flog you hard enough to welt and bruise you.
My reds have spurs about 5 inches long, and they will slice you open.
Beak wise, they got nothing, its all in the legs.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/16 "2017-07-26T22:13:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> If I ever publish my memoirs, I’m leaning this way for the title.
Mine will be either _What Color is a Pygmy’s Chicken?_ or _Beyond the Toad Mountains._
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/17 "2017-07-26T22:21:22Z")
> [@Weisshund](#):
>
> Rabbit can rip you open down to the bone.
> They have strong legs and claws.
>
> They can also give nasty bites even though their mouth isnt set up well for biting
They’ve got a vicious streak a mile wide! They’re born killers!
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### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2017, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/18 "2017-07-26T22:48:17Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> If I ever publish my memoirs, I’m leaning this way for the title.
You know, thanks to your observation, I’ve been thinking how effective and sort-of-profound, as a silly metaphor, that phrase is for considering how to frame momentary interpersonal relations (looking at a response to a question/argument from a different perspective as emotion and even intellectual content) or even extended interpersonal relations.
Not only that, it’s come to mind when I’m examining/validating/challenging my own, internal thought process.
Again, thanks to **kayaker** –I might have kicked and unearthed a cute-looking rock, but he/she identified it as gold.
[Cf: “what would Jesus do?”]
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### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/19 "2017-07-26T22:53:29Z")
> [@Ludovic](#):
>
> They’ve got a vicious streak a mile wide! They’re born killers!
[FTR](https://youtu.be/cCI18qAoKq4). Not exactly, but definitely good enough. A pleasure to rewatch—and up till now all I remembered was Jimmy Carter and helpless Secret Service agents.
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### Author:  [@squish7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squish7)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2017, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-these-rabbits-really-fighting-and-why-do-the-chickens-care/791951/20 "2017-07-27T07:18:29Z")
After all these years I’ve finally found a straightdope question that wasn’t over my head (this includes questions I’ve posted)