HELP! 2.5 week old chicks bloody from pecking

[robert adamo]

Ill try to lay this out the best I can.. I bought 10 chicks from tractor supply plus another 2 from same batch.

aug 13th
5 isa browns
1 rhode island red
1 plymouth rock
3 silver laced wyandotte

aug 14th
1 silver laced wyandotte died

aug 16th bought
2 plymouth rocks (only 2 Left)

They are all in a brooding box I built thats roughly 36Wx48LX30H with some perches, plenty of water and food access. I used this with a batch of 8 that are now free range and doing great.
So everything has seemed fine till last night when we noticed that the two of the chicks were bleeding and the tail feathers had been plucked, we watched them and it seemed like there was one doing it at first but than we saw others doing it as well.
The two injured ones are slightly bigger birds than most others but seem to be of the same kind, thinking its the 2 new PR's. We separated them while we figure out what to do.. I read that too much light can cause this so I turned off the heat lamp. Also put the two in separate bins with food and water.
Love to know next steps to take, I don't want to keep them separated if possible, All advise Ive read deals with older birds.. any suggestions appreciated.

 

[andreanar]

Can you make them a bigger brooder box? Maybe with some places that the chicks can hide behind to get away from bullies. You need to hide the bloodied areas, can use Blu Kote. Those bloody areas will attract the others to keep picking. It could have started with just one peck, but when they seen blood the others joined in the pecking.

 

[robert adamo]

Hi, I suppose a bigger box would help, I will think about what I can do for places to hid. thanks! I will look into the Blu Kote too