Unremitting Pecking! * Update *

[Freyja]

I've searched the forums and read about red lights (will buy one today), chick jail and toys. Also read that this can happen with chicks that are shipped or that need more protein/vitamins.

I have a RIR in a mixed flock of five that pecks her sisters unremittingly. If she's not eating/drinking/sleeping she is pecking at the tips of their beaks and their eyes. One BR pecks occasionally but it just seems like normal curiosity -- not the obsession of the RIR -- and I've never seen the others do it at all. They're on paper towels over aspen shavings, are all eating & drinking, temp is fine in the brooder. They were shipped and arrived at the feed store two days ago when I picked them up.

I end up holding the RIR more just to let her sisters have some relief. Thinking her behavior might be related to shipping stress, last night I held her and she slept in my lap under a towel for over an hour. She seemed better when I put her back but this morning she's back to work!

So, my question:
in addition to the red light/toys/jail, might a different chick starter help? The one available at my feed store was Manna Pro Chick Starter Medicated crumbles with 18% protein. The store had broiler starter as well but I didn't think to buy it because I'm not raising broilers but the protein was substantially higher, 24% I think. What is the optimal amount of protein? Would a vitamin supplement help?

Also, is this something the others can learn? I don't want them to be injured by the RIR and I don't want them to start pecking each other. gah! These are my first chicks and I just want everyone to get along.

Off to the store to get the red light and a toy or two...

 

[RendonRoo]

when mine were small like that i would just tap them on the beak if they were getting too rough with the others. Seemed to help. I'm not talking about knocking them senseless just a tap. Good Luck

 

[Jenski]

Chicks and chickens can and do watch and learn from each other.

In the past, I had a red Delaware pullet who spent her days stalking the other birds and relentlessly pulling feathers out, just picking picking picking. I traded her to a farmer with lots of land and in return got a beautiful Ameraucana pullet who got along fine with everyone.

I write all this only to say that sometimes it's just a personality issue. After all the experiences I have had with various chicken personalities, I now have no problem selling off a bird that does not get along with the others.

Good luck with your chicks, and please keep us posted on how things develop.

 

[Freyja]

Quote:
sigh. This is what I was afraid of. How long before I know whether she can be rehabilitated or if she's just The Bad Seed?

 

[Freyja]

The first thing I did was remove the paper towels and let them be in the aspen shavings. They looked so happy! The BR was especially vigorous with her scratching, kicking up big rooster tails of shavings -- so funny. This kept them busy for a while and the RIR wasn't picking on anyone. I put two plastic balls with bells (cat toys) in the brooder, but no interest there -- they were wary and avoided the area so I took the toys out.

After a while, the novelty of the shavings began to wear off for the RIR and she was back to picking on her sisters. I tried the gentle beak taps and using my hand to block her when she lunged for another chick but it was non-stop, so by the evening I'd decided to resort to 'chick jail' which was a plastic screened bin that I put in the brooder. I was surprised that she seemed perfectly content and it was the others that were upset -- running around the bin, looking like they were plotting a jailbreak for her. She just ate and drank and scratched with aplomb. And she ate a LOT.

Got the infrared light yesterday and they definitely slept better than with the incandescent -- I feel bad for keeping them under the interrogation light. Sorry little chickies! They all slept together, the RIR in her corner nearest the other chicks, the others in a bunch near her corner.

This morning I put her back with her sisters and she's behaving much better -- for the time being anyway, there's been no picking. I'll continue to keep an eye on her and if she's back to her old tricks, into jail she'll go. I think the jail allowed her to eat (and eat!) and rest and the red light probably helped everyone. Even the BR who had started picking isn't doing it now.

Crossing my fingers!

 

[cmom]

I use chick starter crumbles. Also I put some electrolytes with vitamins in their water.

 

[Judy]

Hmmm. I wonder if she was doing the pecking because they had been keeping her away from the food, maybe? Just a thought.

 

[Freyja]

Quote:
Would you recommend one brand of electrolytes over another? I'll check with the feed store tomorrow and see if they carry any.

And is live culture yogurt helpful? I'm just doing some searches on electrolytes, vitamins & yogurt here on BYC. The RIR is sleeping on my lap as I write, curled up inside a small hand towel.

 

[denasfarm]

To keep them interested I draw different sized and colored dots on the brooder walls about chick high. They will poke and pick at the dots and leave each other alone (a little better)

 

[Freyja]

Quote:
Nope, she was definitely ruling the roost! When the other chicks went over to the feeder, she would too, bowling right over the top of them and pushing them out of the way. She really raced around the brooder, this way and that, rather frenetic, really. It was like she had ADHD -- short attention span, no focus (well, besides pecking).

She was much calmer in jail, not upset at all. But I think she must have needed the food because she ate a lot. She's still doing well, sleeping with the rest of the girls right now and not waking everyone up like she was.