Chicks attacking each other

[chickmomnicole]

It's a 40 gallon stock tank. I took them out into the coop today and they seemed to love it. One escaped and we had to catch her and fix the problem! They were out all day and brought them back in tonight since the low is 60 and I don't quite feel comfortable with leaving them outside with the heating lamp. I placed a piece of cardboard over the stock tank to allow shade. Anyone seeing a problem with letting them outside during the day and bringing them in when it starts to get colder?

 

[donrae]

How old are your chicks?

 

[lazy gardener]

And how many.

 

[chickmomnicole]

3 weeks. And I have four

 

[lazy gardener]

If you can supervise them, outdoors would be great for them... or if they are in a fort knox coop and run. Have you looked at the Mother Heating Pad thread? IMO, that set up will go a long way towards curbing chick aggression.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

If you can supervise them, outdoors would be great for them... or if they are in a fort knox coop and run. Have you looked at the Mother Heating Pad thread? IMO, that set up will go a long way towards curbing chick aggression.

X 2 - a tired chick is a good chick, and nothing is more tiring than a good day spent outside frolicking and the MHP would be wonderful for your situation.

 

[allpeepedout]

I'd add some objects to your brooder to make sure the chicks have several places to escape an aggressor. At three weeks, they should be able to jump up on things, run behind things, etc. If you could secure some roosts inside the tank, the more agile ones could also fly up and roost, reducing the interactions below. Even a couple of concrete blocks in the bottom of your stock tank could provide a vital escape for a chick being attacked, as well as a more interesting play space.