2 day old chick attacks my hand

[BrooklynBirds]

I officially entered the world of chickening with the arrival of a barred rock, a black austra, and an easter egger from Meyer yesterday. This being my first foray into flock-tending, everything is a bit mysterious, despite all I have previously read. Here's my current question: the barred rock chick will vigorously attack my hand when I reach into the brooder, especially when I pick up one of the others. Is this an early sign that I'm dealing with a cock? Or is it not sex-indicative behavior at all? Thank you for your collective wisdom.

 

[Titanpaul726]

I don't think it has anything to do with the sex of the chick. Maybe it's just in a bad mood? LOL. Spunky little guy!

 

[luvmychixandducks]

Baby chicks are very aggressive - if you have hatched your own chicks you know the earlier birds will peck and bother the newbies just drying out from hatching, until they fluff up and look like all the rest.
Chicks don't have hands - they investigate everything with beaks - that is why the more aggressive peckers get their beaks trimmed.
I used to keep the damp new hatchlings isolated until they dry off, to protect them from the earlier hatchlings.
They attack anything that looks different - if you get a bunch of black chicks and a single yellow chick, it gets picked on - and the reverse is true.
I tried to either get all the same or a 50/50 split to keep harmony in the brooder.

 

[BrooklynBirds]

Thank you for the comfort Titanpaul726 and luvmychixandducks; your experience is very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share.