Pecking order behavior or just plain mean???

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chix4chance

chix4chance

In the Brooder
Feb 27, 2016
50
1
41
kentucky
We have about 30 pullets about 3 days old.. different breeds but the majority are either black australorp or araucanas ... everyone has been getting along just fine except for one of my black australorps has gone crazy!! She literally attacks the others pecking them and pulling them around or grabbing them by their beaks and throwing them on their backs...:( I dont know what to do...mind you they are all only about 3 days old... is this just a normal pecking order behavior or is she attacking all the others bc she is mean??? Im so confused... HELP! I DONT want any of my babies hurt over her.
 
I don't know personally I think she is being mean but they usually only run and bump into the others at that young when they are about a week old and start feathering then they will be more aggressive like that but I would try separating her with one other chick or just by her self for a while and is she doing it to all of them or just Serbian ones or is she doing it when they are eating and drinking being probably the top in the pecking order she might just be showing them who is boss when they are eating
 
She is doing it to all of them... all the breed and at any time.. even if they are asleep around her... she picks one and goes after it and then when they get away she picks another one... none of her victims are even bothering her. Plus she will peck her kind or the other it doesnt seem to matter to her, and as of yet now that I think of it I dont recall her attacking at all around food its almost at random but once she gets started its everyone.
 
Ok well I would just try and separate her with one chick and if she attacks it put it back and let her by her self for a day or two and put her back with the others could it be she is a rooster and if she don't stop chipping while u separate her put in a stuffed dog toy or something when I had hatch one out so far I put in a little stuffed bunny and cuddled up next to it and fell asleep
 
I've had a few of those.
First, do they have plenty of space?

This is what I use for a rowdy, aggressive chick.
I place this little cage (5"W x 9"L x 5"H) made out of 1/2" hardware cloth over the chick right in the brooder for about 30-60 minutes.
Then release it, if it acts up again, back under the cage....might take a few rounds of 'jail' to settle it down but has worked well for me.

 
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I have not had anything that severe thank God. but once I had a cockeral sneek in and my girls would chest bump but the male would litterly run and jump on the others. Then when I would feed he would run up and peck my hand! if I went to pet or pick up the others he would run up and peck at me then too. later I found out that it was indeed a cockeral. probably would have been a very protective cockeral to his flock but I found him a good home because I can't have roosters. But even at that young age he was a LOT more aggressive and even aggressive toward me!!
 
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She has finally calmed down... it obligation a couple of trips to chicken jail to change her attitude.. I just placed the box we brought them home in their space and when she started acting up placed her in the box for a few minutes... and thankfully for now ahe has stopped with the harassment. Hopefully now that she has established that she is the head chick maybe we wont h:flave any more problems as they get older :) :fl:yiipchick
 

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