9 day old chicks fighting

[cmonkey]

First time chicken owners here!

Everything has been going great for the past week or so, all 16 of our chicks are growing great. They have doubled in size. They are in a 4X4 foot brooder with plenty of food and water and pine shavings.

We have 5 cuckoo marons, 5 blue andalusians, 5 easter eggers and 1 dark brahmas (this one was a free novelty chick).

Starting yesterday, one of the large marons and the dark brahma started going at it pretty good. We noticed that the maron would ultimately end up standing over the dark brahma and the dark brahma would lower its head to the ground like it was submitting to the maron. Then they'd go their separate ways for 5 minutes and repeat. We assumed they were beginning their pecking order fighting, but were surprised they were starting already.

We left it alone but then saw the dark brahmas had a bloody spot on its beak and so we separated them.

Today, one of the blue andalusians (definitely a rooster) is now fighting with the dark brahmas.

We have not seen any other fights.


So, is this to be expected so young? Or could they be picking on the one chicken that is different from the rest? It is quite a bit smaller than the others.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think your brooder is starting to get tight for 16 LF. They need about 2.5 sq. ft. per bird from 1-8 weeks. You have 1 per bird. That's fine for the first and possibly second week but no longer. The fact that there is trouble in the herd says something.

 

[cmonkey]

Thanks!

I have enough plywood to construct a larger brooder and so will do that today. I was kinda thinking that our 4x4 foot was small, particularly as they got bigger.

When should we expect them to start squabbling?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They'll start the pecking order at perhaps 3 weeks or longer depending on breed and individual.

If you have a means of getting electric to the coop, you can put them out now instead of building another brooder. Just give them a heat source out there.

 

[cmonkey]

Our coop is quite large, probably 16 by 9 or so. That is fine for 9 day old chicks even with a heat source?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Unless it is below about 25F, I put them out when they come out of the hatcher.
A mother hen doesn't heat all the ambient air but provides a hot spot and the rest of the space is cool. She can be successful well below freezing.

 

[cmonkey]

Guess I have a bit of digging to do tonight! We need to run electric from the shed to the coop and its probably 50-75 feet.

I wasn't planning to do it until this fall when the temps drop but the thought of getting them out to the coop now is enticing. Basement is getting a little smelly.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What's the climate now where you live?

 

[cmonkey]

We are zone 5 northwest Illinois.

We decided to separate the dark brahmas last night to see if the others were going to fight without him in the brooder. We didn't have any problems at all!

So we put him back in and HE started the fights, not the other way around, despite being 3/4 the size of the others.

I don't know much about dark brahmas, maybe they are more aggressive? It is definitely a little rooster!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's awful young for actual fights and I don't think brahmas are among the more aggressive breeds anyway. Perhaps as an adult but not at 9+ days.