8 week old chick (Ameraucana) peeps all the time

[chickpack2024]

Hi--I'm pretty new to the world of chicken raising. We got 4 chicks and then decided to add 2 more, so we have 4 15 week old chickens (they all appear to be hens, miraculously) and two 8 week old chickens that I bought from a local farm. I am not sure on the genders yet, but one is an Ameraucana (two Ameraucana parents). I'll just assume she's female--she doesn't have anything that says "roo" about her appearance or personality at this point.

Between her age and her breed, she's by far the smallest in the flock, but she eats well, runs around, and is growing beautifully. Her feathers looks great.

She peeps ALL the time. She peeps if she's out eating in the grass and she can't find her best friend (the other young chick), she peeps so much at night when she goes in the coop for the evening, and when I come out to feed them in the morning. It's not cold at all (lows are in the low 60s?) none of the other chickens are huddling up or anything, she just peeps and peeps. She makes 10x the noise of any other bird in the flock.

Is this anxiety? Do I need to do anything about this? The sound itself is no big deal, but it's just SO constant I'm starting to wonder if I need to do something.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Does she only peep when she is, or thinks she is, separated from this other chick? Some chickens are known to get very attached to others and can't stand a moment without the other.

How is her overall health? Have you examined her for any injuries, bones out of place or broken, etc? (Does she limp at all or show other signs of pain?) Is her eyesight, hearing, and beak good? (Asking on eyesight and hearing in case it's separation anxiety.) Are these chicks with the older chicks and has any of them possibly hurt her? How long have you had her and was she hatched under a hen or incubator? Has she always been like this since you've had her?

 

[Mrs. K]

They are very peeping when small, she will out grow it. If she is active, eating, and bright eyed, she is probably just fine. Is it dark where she sleeps? Mine generally stop peeping in the dark asleep.

 

[chickpack2024]

You were both right--since I posted I have noticed that she is mostly just peeping when separated from the other (she cannot stand to be away from the other one for a moment). She does seem totally healthy, and last night she was the first one in the coop (so she got the coveted middle of the top bar spot) and was quiet. So I think she's growing out of it.