Aggressive Baby Chicks and How to Stop the Behavior

I had a chick that would pull on the toes of other chicks. Not peck, pull, and pull so hard he'd tip the other chicks off their feet. He'd go one to another, like on a mission. I would sit there for half an hour watching him, tapping his back when he'd do it, and I could tell when he was going to do it so tapped him before he did it. I'd leave for a couple hours and come back to two chicks with bleeding toes, so that wasn't working. Hubby finished building the new brooder and it wasn't that the old one was too small, but this one was double the size. That did it! Thanks for the ideas. That was about 6 months ago and I forgot to rate your article that helped me.

Thank you! I had these issues with my last hatch. This hatch I was ready for it! lol

Very informative; I will also bookmark this. I just saw some pretty ferocious bullying by one chick in a special-order brooder at my local feed store, and was wondering how to handle that if it happened with any chicks I might order in future! This chick was assaulting and pecking away other chicks trying to reach the feeder; there was lots of room in the brooder so others were just going around to eat at the other side, but the bully made runs at them, too. It didn't care what color the other chicks were (looked like about 20 of them, various breeds). Now, should this happen, I'll have an arsenal of techniques to deal with it - thank you!

Very helpful and informative article. I do wonder if the blue light had any effect

Very informative and practical article!

Fascinating information about chick behavior.

Another excellent article from a very knowledgeable member.

Great article! Very helpful!

Very helpful article, with lots of practical and easily implemented suggestions. I am bookmarking this, just in case! Thank you!

All good advice!

Great article!

My chicks are all females, so the male theory won't work.
I loved this article, Thank you for the great ideas!

Great information that I know will come in handy down the road. I love ideas to stop said aggression without showing more aggression towards the problem chick, which is what I've seen in other articles (not on BYC). Thank you!

You have covered the causes for obsessive behaviours and aggression nicely. Your recommendations are useful and laid out in a cohesive manner, making it clear what steps to begin with. Great advice! Thanks!

Very helpful article and update!

It's always good to have new ideas for solving problems with a flock. Mimicking the mother's behavior works for a lot of animals, so why not chicks?

I use the heated brooder plates for chicks and that seems to solve the problem, or prevent it. They have a place to hide from their aggressive hatch mates and there is no light, so they have a natural wake sleep cycle. The chicks seem calmer and more content using the heat plate.

Although I read this a little later than I should have as I had one aggressive chick in my bunch, I enjoyed it as a reinforcement that what I did was right. i also think that my aggressive chick is the smartest of the bunch. She was first to figure out how to drink from various waterers, seemed more curious than the others from day one and now that she's outside, she's first to explore, always leads the way, stays away from the big girls so she gets pecked less, comes for treats (the other littles are OBLIVIOUS until she starts making happy noises) she will sit on my lap and stare curiously and tilt her head.

The first few days I was SO upset with her trying to peck her sisters eyes out that I considered giving her to a friend hoping it would stop her behavior. i'm glad i didn't as I think I have a future 'top of the pecking order' chick and one with a bit more smarts than the average chicken.