6 week old chicks are killing each other

[Judy]

Quote:
Believe it or not I'm playing religious music.. it's easy listening, and sometimes theirs even preaching....

Religion and Greed <------ probably the two biggest reasons for war...well that and statements like "I've got more feathers than you"

Mostly religion. Humans can't seem to figure out they can all love God without killing each other over Its definition.

 

[Junkmanme]

I would suggest some mid-volume "Pavarotti"....calming, mostly.

Otherwise, maybe "The Mamas and Papas"......

-Junkmanme-

 

[Deannep36]

I didn't know scratch was bad? I give my chickens scratch, but they also free range from sunrise to sundown.
I get a 80 pound bag from the feed store for 12 bucks. It's the cheapest I've found and they love it. But I do also give them other things too.
Please don't tell my scratch is bad

 

[Becky_H]

Scratch is a treat food. They need layer (or starter or whatever) regular type feed too. Scratch as a primary food is like feeding your cat nothing but tuna. They might like it, but sooner or later Bad Things will happen.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Lots of good advice already - the only think I can think of that wasn't mentioned is the light.

I agree that the red light bulb is better than the white one, but aren't they old enough to be without a heat light now? At six weeks, they should be all feathered out and if they are too hot that can cause picking also.

 

[ging3rhoffman]

I dont understand the music. That would drive me insane. I love to here the beauty of nature. Are you giving them their chick starter 24/7? They sound hungry to me. I have never heard of chicks killing one another, there is something majorly wrong.

 

[Stonerowfarm]

With my young ones I put in a toy on a long string. It was one of those things you give to a hamster, compressed wood and stuff with a bell on the end. It dangles down and some of the hens will thwack it and ring the bell.

I also occasionally will throw in a good handful of soft hay which they love picking through and scattering.

I've heard of others who have put old spoons on the wall for them to peck at, as well as shooter marbles.

The things we do to occupy the babies until they're grown

 

[bradleyfarm]

Quote:
I never thought of bordom as a problem for chicks. I will difinately put in some stuff to keep them occupied for the day. The light were using is a regular soft white bulb, our coop is rather big. the side the ameraucanas are on is atleast 8'w x12'L. It's a big coop. It use to be a small horse barn.
As fare as the victims.. they are all victims, they keep pecking eachother. They all have missing feathers, just not all have bloody butts. We have seperated the ones with the bloody butts though.

thanks for the advice..

 

[bradleyfarm]

Quote:
the coop they are in is 96 sq ft. We can't let out chicks outside yet until we finish the runs. We have a red tail hawk problem, and the hawks are protected in my area so we can't just shoot them. About 2 years ago I lost a whole flock of black couchins to these hawks.

I will get a few cabages and have them on hand.

 

[bradleyfarm]

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We use the music to sooth the chicks, who was hatched in the house, and stayed there until old enough to go outside. Also the music is used to ward off predators. We live in a very wooded area (shocking for Texas huh) so we have coyotes, skunks, racoons, cats, mountain lions, and ofcourse chicken snakes, on top of the hawks. We want to give our chicks as much of a chance as we can.