I have a flock of 7 chicks, between 7-8 weeks old. I also have three 10 month old chickens. Just recently, I introduced them after being separated by hardware cloth for the past 3 weeks. There were a few pecks and squabbles, and the big girls still chase the little girls when they are close by (I only free range together, I still keep them separated when closed in the run/coop.) but other wise, it is going really well with introductions.
I have an 8 week old blue silkie (not sure if male or female) that tried to spur one of the big girls the other day. The other babies run when big girls come by, so I was surprised this silkie tried to stand up to the big girl.
Then today I noticed the silkie was relentlessly chasing and attacking a 7 week old barnevelder. It wasn't just a peck or a spur and move on, the silkie would chase and bite and claw and attack this poor barnevelder without cease! No blood was drawn that I saw, but I have never seen this kind of behavior. The barnevelder was obviously stressed, trying to hide anywhere she could, breathing hard, screaming when bit. The silkie would only attack this chick, as soon as she would spot her the chase and attack were on. I know chickens have to figure out their pecking order, and I don't know if the ranking was changed with the big girls kind of being introduced or what, but I have no idea if this is normal or not. At one point they were in a stare down, and the barnevelder 'submitted' by looking down and away, but the silkie chest bumped her anyway and started an attack.
I did intervene at one point and pick up the silkie and put her in time out for an hour, but as soon as she was back in the group, she instantly went after the barnevelder again.
I just don't know if this is normal or not, I have never seen such a young chicken harass and attack another the way this silkie is. Any advice??
I have an 8 week old blue silkie (not sure if male or female) that tried to spur one of the big girls the other day. The other babies run when big girls come by, so I was surprised this silkie tried to stand up to the big girl.
Then today I noticed the silkie was relentlessly chasing and attacking a 7 week old barnevelder. It wasn't just a peck or a spur and move on, the silkie would chase and bite and claw and attack this poor barnevelder without cease! No blood was drawn that I saw, but I have never seen this kind of behavior. The barnevelder was obviously stressed, trying to hide anywhere she could, breathing hard, screaming when bit. The silkie would only attack this chick, as soon as she would spot her the chase and attack were on. I know chickens have to figure out their pecking order, and I don't know if the ranking was changed with the big girls kind of being introduced or what, but I have no idea if this is normal or not. At one point they were in a stare down, and the barnevelder 'submitted' by looking down and away, but the silkie chest bumped her anyway and started an attack.
I did intervene at one point and pick up the silkie and put her in time out for an hour, but as soon as she was back in the group, she instantly went after the barnevelder again.
I just don't know if this is normal or not, I have never seen such a young chicken harass and attack another the way this silkie is. Any advice??
