Help! Should I separate them?

[callieisspooky]

My poults are less than 24 hours old, and they're pecking at each other's toes viciously - pecking relentlessly, picking them up, twisting them, trying to drag them off. They have food they've been eating (starter mash), but I guess their toes look more appetizing. Should I separate them until they stop hurting each other? These poults may be half wild, and they are already different from the domestics I've raised - more active, more curious, more pecky. :/

 

[B-Goock]

You could try putting something more interesting to them in there to be a "target" for picking on. Sounds like they are very curious and sampling everything. Oh those little toes look like a juicy yummy worm.....

 

[callieisspooky]

They seem to like my wedding ring, so into the brooder it goes, lol. Are they too young for actual worms? I have starter mash, and was going to try some crumbled hard-boiled yolk.

 

[CocoTurkey]

No worms, they carry blackhead, which will easily kill your poults.

 

[ivan3]

Get some meal worms. Also, any small moths that are parked on walls near outdoor lights will be appreciated. Is the protein level of the starter mash around 30%? Need to nip this toe biting in the bud. If you can ID the worst offender, separate it out for a couple days.
Crowding/low protein level of feed is often associated with toe biting.

 

[callieisspooky]

Thank you for the advice! Haha, they were pecking on each other's toes before they even ate solid food. Once I put the hard boiled egg yolk in, they started leaving each other's toes alone, though they still peck at them sometimes, even their own. They're a week old now and still eating chick starter and yolk, and I threw in some meal worms as well. I'll be on the lookout for moths!