Bossy chick hogging food

[SpunkyBird]

I have four different chicks. Straight run barnyard mix. We got them at 2 days on Sunday. Two of them at first seemed to be vying for #1 position, I guess. The other two have been passive. Well now the one has gotten crazy bossy/psycho and the others kind of put up with her. They have plenty of food and water available all day that they can access at the same time. She is literally jumping around to keep the others away from the food. She will go out of her way to step in front of or push the others to get to a different food spot. However, I've also noticed if we are holding/petting them (I have three kids) she can't STAND being alone. She will get very loud if she is last to be picked up.

I'm concerned about one who is smaller than the other three and always eats last. She seems like kind of a loner.

All of them sleep ok and all of them eventually eat and drink plenty. No poo problems. Clear eyes, not lethargic, usually chirping and happy sounding, scratching, and happy to be held.

Should I put a stop to this somehow or let it play out? I'm home all day so I'm available to check on them frequently.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The simplest solution is to add additional feed/water stations in other areas of your brooder - this keeps the dominant chick from being able to control ALL the feed or water at one time.

 

[TimCline]

If they are all alert and healthy let them work it out on their own. Separation is not a good idea. You will have a lonely chick and you will have to deal with reintroducing then later anyway.

 

[SpunkyBird]

We're planning on getting new feeders this weekend so I'll grab two. I definitely don't want to separate them!

 

[RedBreasted]

I know. I have like a couple days older or a 1 week old Amber White that is hogging my 2 days old Ameraucana. Good suggestions, you can either buy 2 more supplies like waterer and feeder or you can split the food up like if your cheap like me, make yourself a homemade waterer and feeder with like those cheap styrofoam bowl or something similar.

 

[azygous]

If this chick doesn't tone down its behavior, you can intervene with some discipline. It's really very simple. You just act like a senior flock chicken and "peck" the chick when it misbehaves. It will get the message very quickly, and the behavior will be corrected in just a couple days. I wrote an article on how to deal with such a chick. It's linked below under Articles by Azygous".

 

[SpunkyBird]

I will go read that right now! Thanks!

I'll be going to get new feeders today.