4 week old chick. Aggressive?

[aimee235]

I normally put the chicks "brooder" box on the table so the kids can see them and the birds will hopefully become more friendly. The EE's I have aren't very people friendly even though I hatched them myself and even had to help some out of the shell because the humidity did not stay up so they got stuck. I just picked some chicks from the feed store and they are way more friendly.

Anyway a couple days ago one of the EE's jumped at my face when I opened the lid to give them more food and water. I thought that perhaps it was just trying to jump to the edge because they like to sit on the edge of the box when the lid is open. This morning though every time my 2 year old son came near the box one of them kept jumping up at him and actually scratched his neck. So I had him go near them again and when it jumped at him I flicked it. Which did stop the behavior for a little bit. He is just going by not actually looking at the chicks or messing with them at all.

Is there something I can do to stop this behavior? The bird in question is actually jumping on and kicking a lot of the other chicks as well but doesn't seem to be hurting them. If it keeps going on I was going to cull it and feed it to the dog. Since it's pretty scrawny I thought it would be pointless to defeather it and attempt to cook it for the family. I just don't want a full grown bird attacking and possibly hurting one of my kids.

 

[Eggcessive]

Chicks that seem aggressive at 4 weeks may not end up being that way later. My cuckoo marans chick was the meanest little snot of 38 chicks for weeks and weeks until she was 6 months old. Now with the same group at 11 months she actually gets picked on by the others, at the bottom of the pecking order. I don't think it is wise to let any 2 year old (or kids under 8) around the chickens that close because animals are unpredictable. Everyone I've met has a mean rooster story from when they were little, so I think that can ruin a person's love for having chickens.

 

[aimee235]

My house is small. There is no where in here the chicks can be until it is warm enough outside(snowing) that they would not be somewhere close to him. Also he would have to come with me to feed and water them outside as my husband is a trucker and there would be no one inside to watch him. He would be able to stay outside there pen then though.

 

[aimee235]

Is there anyone who has any tips for stopping this behavior? So far it has not been doing it anymore, but if it starts again and there is no way to stop it then it will have to go.

 

[xC0000005]

Cut a mesh wire inset to make a lower ceiling for the brooder. It will take them a couple days to understand that they can't jump but they catch on. You'll need to raise it as they grow.