Pecking order or aggressive chick?

[JK93]

My chicks are 11 days old, I have a Salmon Favorelle, 2 orpingtons, D'uccle and Silkie that have been in the brooder together since 1 day old. The SF has been a NUT since day one, pecking at all the others, including pulling their legs and wings while they screamed all by 3 days old. They were in a large feed trough but I've switched them into a 5'5ft x 3ft brooder hoping these guys would have more room and give eachother space. The SF isn't as brutal now but she loves to bother the d'uccle and they run at eachother and chest bump daily which knocks the d'uccle down and that seems to set off the 2 orpingtons who chase down and stand up really tall over the SF until it runs away. My one orpington surprised me and flew today and landed on my D'uccle which made her scream considering she's close to 4 times her size. I'm not sure if it was an accident because she's still working out flying or what. I feel like all day it's chick wwe and screaming in there. My 2, tiny 8 day old silkies in a seperate brooder behave NOTHING like this. This is my first time owning chickens and I'm reading conflicting stuff about them being a bit young to be establishing a pecking order, any idea on if they are or if this is just normal chick behavior and I have some hyper birds here?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

You have some hyper birds, and it's likely that SF is a cockerel. I don't know all your breeds and their sizes, but I know there can be problems housing chicks of different ages in the same brooder. Maybe the same problems happen if they are the same age, but different sizes, too? Since they are only 3 days older than your little silkies, can you try putting the d'Uccle and your silkie in with them instead?

 

[azygous]

You have a brooder full of chicks running amok. Time for some discipline. Read through this and maybe you'll come away with some useful tips. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior.72029/

Are they under a heat lamp? Too much heat and too much light can instigate aggression.

 

[bhaugh]

While you can have some nutty chicks esp those bred from hatcheries, they are trying things out to see what works for them. I just hatched two chicks who haven't been the nicest to each other but until there's blood, I just watch them. The one thing I have learned over the years is that you can't stand up for them forever. Birds need to find their place in the group and learn to stand up for themselves. In saying that, extremely aggressive chicks are culled. I've had some of those as well but primarily quail chicks who will maim or kill other chicks.

 

[JK93]

You have some hyper birds, and it's likely that SF is a cockerel. I don't know all your breeds and their sizes, but I know there c

You have a brooder full of chicks running amok. Time for some discipline. Read through this and maybe you'll come away with some useful tips. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior.72029/

Are they under a heat lamp? Too much heat and too much light can instigate aggression.

an be problems housing chicks of different ages in the same brooder. Maybe the same problems happen if they are the same age, but different sizes, too? Since they are only 3 days older than your little silkies, can you try putting the d'Uccle and your silkie in with them instead?

While you can have some nutty chicks esp those bred from hatcheries, they are trying things out to see what works for them. I just hatched two chicks who haven't been the nicest to each other but until there's blood, I just watch them. The one thing I have learned over the years is that you can't stand up for them forever. Birds need to find their place in the group and learn to stand up for themselves. In saying that, extremely aggressive chicks are culled. I've had some of those as well but primarily quail chicks who will maim or kill other chicks.

They're all the same age except 2 of the silkies who were from a local breeder and not online hatchery (like the others) which are little angel babies in comparison. The d'uccle would mess with the new silkies she's not as mean as the sf but she pecks at the other birds as well. They have a heat plate in a shaded backroom. I've never culled anything so I'm sensitive about having to ever do that but I do think the SF could be a reason one of my original silkies died. She was missing fluff on her head and had what I learned was a vaulted skull so either brain injury from another chick or from travel, I can't say for sure. The SF is supposed to be a girl but is the complete opposite personality I read about SF's having which was a BIG deal for me. Would you say chicks personalities change or stay the same? Hopefully these hyper guys calm down I'm jumping up all night and day every time I hear a screech from the baby chick fight club.

 

[SmiYa0126]

My chicks are 11 days old, I have a Salmon Favorelle, 2 orpingtons, D'uccle and Silkie that have been in the brooder together since 1 day old. The SF has been a NUT since day one, pecking at all the others, including pulling their legs and wings while they screamed all by 3 days old. They were in a large feed trough but I've switched them into a 5'5ft x 3ft brooder hoping these guys would have more room and give eachother space. The SF isn't as brutal now but she loves to bother the d'uccle and they run at eachother and chest bump daily which knocks the d'uccle down and that seems to set off the 2 orpingtons who chase down and stand up really tall over the SF until it runs away. My one orpington surprised me and flew today and landed on my D'uccle which made her scream considering she's close to 4 times her size. I'm not sure if it was an accident because she's still working out flying or what. I feel like all day it's chick wwe and screaming in there. My 2, tiny 8 day old silkies in a seperate brooder behave NOTHING like this. This is my first time owning chickens and I'm reading conflicting stuff about them being a bit young to be establishing a pecking order, any idea on if they are or if this is just normal chick behavior and I have some hyper birds here?

Sounds like a cockerel, put him in juvy for a couple of hours away from the others, it mellowed mine out a lot. He was on a separate floor in the tub. Didn't like it one bit.