MEAN Chick...

[NOnuggets]

Our first order had starve out with 24/34 chicks dying in the first 24 hours...Today nine replacements arrived and one of them is MEAN. It's trying to peck everybody's eyes out! What do I do? If they all make it, I'm still less than 50% of the flock I had hoped for when I ordered 40...I don't want to do it in (and I don't think I can...)

Anyone have suggestions???

 

[JudyH]

I had one (and she was even smaller than the others!) that did the same thing! She pecked at feet and eyes -- I don't think it was that she was mean (even though she now has the nickname of Ms. MEANY) but you could just see the curiosity in her every time another chick's eye got close.... she had to peck it! I thought she might have pecked out one eye each on 2 of my other chickies (they walked around with one eye shut for a day and a half or so). Finally they did heal and open their eyes back up.

So, I sectioned off part of the brooder with cardboard and put her in there with her own water and food and separated her for almost a week! I would try every morning to let her join the others and see what would happen. She would go after the feet and the eyes every time. One time I saw her peck at another chick's feet, grab a toe and hold on and drag the chick from one end of the brooder to the other.

Anyway, what ended up happening -- I went in there one morning and looked into the brooder and she wasn't in there! Actually, she wasn't on her side.... she had flown up and over the cardboard partition and joined her sisters on the other side. Well, ever since, she's been doing fine with them and hasn't been pecking her sisters' eyes anymore.

But for now, separate them... that's what I did. I put her in chickie jail for a while. Also, go and buy a red bulb. I did that and it instantly calmed all of my chicks down! I couldn't get over the difference in how excitable they were with the regular bulb versus how calm they were with the red bulb.

 

[NOnuggets]

Have the red bulb...maybe this one is color blind! My other list suggested putting "something shiny" in there as a distraction - I'll try that too...otherwise...jail.

 

[gritsar]

Seems to me sometimes a chick is just easily overstimulated. If you are using a white bulb for heat, see if switching out to a red bulb doesn't make a difference.

 

[gabrielle1976]

I had one that was like that I named her Atilla the hun after she was involved when one of my BR chicks died , I found out later that she pecked it after it got sick and she wasnt really what killed the poor thing . I went and got a red light and seperated her from the other chicks for awhile and oh how she franticly peeped and tried to get back with them. She is with them again and she still pecks and toes and faces but the healthy chicks know this and she hasnt hurt anyone again. the red light helped.

 

[JudyH]

Oh Gabrielle -- I'm glad to hear that she's back in with the others and everything has worked out for you!!

 

[gabrielle1976]

Yeah the little snot is doing good and so is the origanal RIR that she was with , the feed store replaced the BR with another RIR scince there was something wrong with the the BR and alot of them died. I also picked up the last Silkie hehe she is soo cute I think Ill keep her and make her an apartment chicken

 

[Dr.Doorlock]

I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't use Pinless Peepers on an aggresive chick. It does not hurt them and they simply cannot peck other chicks. My pullets will be wearing them for awhile longer. You can see what I'm talking about at the link below to my site.

 

[wings]

I would change the light to a red bulb. That might make a difference.

Do they have enough food?
...enough water?
...enough space?

 

[cmom]

I would separate her, or try pinless peepers if they make her size.