2 Aggressive Chicks Bullying Third Chick-- is this normal?

[lilyeti]

Hi Everyone!

I'm a first-time chicken owner and just got 3 chicks from a breeder yesterday. One is a 3 week old silkie, one is a week old buff brahma bantam, and one is a week old mottled cochin bantam.

I have 2 questions:

First, the brahma began picking at the feathers on the cochin's feet yesterday and today there is dried blood on the cochin's feet. I've put a little neosporin and vick's on them (as one poster suggested) to heal and deter the picking, and it's helped a little, but not entirely. The blu kote is in the mail, and I plan to use that tomorrow. Will this help? I'm not sure why this picking is happening-- they have
-plenty of space
-a red light, and the heat at a constant 85-88 degrees.
-I gave them some dried meal worms and little pieces of herbs to forage for and keep them distracted (along with some grit for digestion)
-electrolytes/vitamins in their water for the first 2 days
I even just ordered the Eco Brooder, hoping maybe that would help if they were agitated from too much/too little heat or the red light. What am I doing wrong? Is this just from first-day stress?

Secondly, now the bigger older silkie is getting aggressive with the smaller ones, mainly the cochin who is already being bullied by the brahma. I don't really want to separate the cochin from the other two, as even separating them for 10 mins yesterday during a brooder cleaning seemed to throw off the harmony in the flock and create more bullying towards to the cochin. Is this just normal chick behavior (the pecking order) and I should stop being such a worried mom, or is there cause for concern?

The breeder offered to switch out one of them (probably the silkie) for another chick that might get along with the flock more. I'd prefer not to do this, but if it's better for the others' well-being I will.

Thanks so much for your advice!

 

[winteree]

Hi Everyone!

I'm a first-time chicken owner and just got 3 chicks from a breeder yesterday. One is a 3 week old silkie, one is a week old buff brahma bantam, and one is a week old mottled cochin bantam.

I have 2 questions:

First, the brahma began picking at the feathers on the cochin's feet yesterday and today there is dried blood on the cochin's feet. I've put a little neosporin and vick's on them (as one poster suggested) to heal and deter the picking, and it's helped a little, but not entirely. The blu kote is in the mail, and I plan to use that tomorrow. Will this help? I'm not sure why this picking is happening-- they have
-plenty of space
-a red light, and the heat at a constant 85-88 degrees.
-I gave them some dried meal worms and little pieces of herbs to forage for and keep them distracted (along with some grit for digestion)
-electrolytes/vitamins in their water for the first 2 days
I even just ordered the Eco Brooder, hoping maybe that would help if they were agitated from too much/too little heat or the red light. What am I doing wrong? Is this just from first-day stress?

Secondly, now the bigger older silkie is getting aggressive with the smaller ones, mainly the cochin who is already being bullied by the brahma. I don't really want to separate the cochin from the other two, as even separating them for 10 mins yesterday during a brooder cleaning seemed to throw off the harmony in the flock and create more bullying towards to the cochin. Is this just normal chick behavior (the pecking order) and I should stop being such a worried mom, or is there cause for concern?

The breeder offered to switch out one of them (probably the silkie) for another chick that might get along with the flock more. I'd prefer not to do this, but if it's better for the others' well-being I will.

Thanks so much for your advice!

when their is blood you need to separate them for a few days to break the rooster of the mean streak. holding them for a few hours or a very long walk despite their squawking and kicking helps to break the rooster as well and give the one getting bullied a chance to heal you need to break this rooster fast. or you could come home to see a dead chick. I'm sad to say most bantams are very aggressive i raised quite a few different breeds of them but only a few breeds of bantam are bred to be docile.

 

[lilyeti]

Thanks for your response. Will separating them within the same brooder work? I was going to set up a wire partition, and keep the silkie on one side and the two littles on the other side.

The minute they can't see each other, they squawk really loudly and it seems to really stress them out. I'd like to keep from adding any more stress if I don't have to. But of course I want this little cochin chick to be safe.

Is there a chance they'll just work this out if I don't intervene?

 

[winteree]

Thanks for your response. Will separating them within the same brooder work? I was going to set up a wire partition, and keep the silkie on one side and the two littles on the other side.

The minute they can't see each other, they squawk really loudly and it seems to really stress them out. I'd like to keep from adding any more stress if I don't have to. But of course I want this little cochin chick to be safe.

Is there a chance they'll just work this out if I don't intervene?

their is a chance, it could just be a pecking order gone to far but normally they figure it out before blood is drawn try putting a small clean mirror or stuffed animal in with them to play with parrot toys are good too. But pick up the aggressors servarl times a day (small butterfly nets at the dollar store work very well) or use a spray bottle to spray them every-time they start pecking the other one. Have you tried a anti peck spray? If you are going to keep them together keep a very close eye on them or else things can go from bad to worse very quickly.

 

[lilyeti]

Thank you so much! I'll try all of the above. Picking up the silkie for several minutes has already seemed to help right away...