Aggressive baby chick

[ChickenMomsince2025]

RIRs can totally get along with other chickens…they just want to be the boss. And that means working her way to the top of the pecking order. Without a rooster you will end up with a “boss hen” and she gets there sometimes with physical violence. Sometimes they have a buddy who is an enforcer and does the physical stuff for them and sometimes they just do it themselves. I have never had a pullet that young that acted like what you’re describing. Except once when moving pullets on a long drive. I didn’t know anything about chickens back then but when we checked on them at a gas station halfway one was dead-pecked to death by another pullet we named Mad Madam Mim. Personally I would rehome her but that is just me

That's what I'm dreading. I don't want any of my babies to get hurt. Older pullets are outside during the day and I took RIR to the run one time when it was sunny. All older ones were dead silent, they weren't crazy about the treats. RIR jumped up to peck at their faces and they flinched but didn't peck her back. I think they were contemplating what to do. I didn't feel comfortable leave her there unsupervised so after awhile I took her back. Right now I think Buff is the head hen out of 3. But they're so gentle with each other. I hate to break this peace.

 

[ChickenMomsince2025]

I'll give her a mirror

The mirror got her attention for about 10 seconds... She is so obsessed with me. Poor baby

 

[ChickenMomsince2025]

Update!
Everyone is fine now! I've been isolating her whenever she "misbehave" and now she pecks much gentler.
She is still a little bully. She hops over them instead of walking around them and using them as step stones to jump higher. Two chicks are putting up with her very well once the aggressive pecking stopped. She is less obsessed with me and bonded more with her sisters. I just started giving them treats and she's showing her old self so I should watch as she grows, but for now they're all making happy chirps. Thanks all for the comments! It helped me understand them better.

 

[Folly's place]

Glad things are better now, good update. I'd avoid hand feeding treats, maybe toss a few goodies in the bedding, rather than what you've been doing.
And we no longer get RIRs, at least the orange hatchery types, because so many were feather picking overbearing twits (like yours?).
It is fun to get a variety, helps to learn who works out, which types appeal to you, and who doesn't.
We are still trying new breeds almost every year...
Mary

 

[ChickenMomsince2025]

I didn't even know there are different kinds of RIR. Yes, I was hand feeding them. That makes sense now. I'll scatter the treats instead. Thanks!

 

[redinator]

I didn't even know there are different kinds of RIR. Yes, I was hand feeding them. That makes sense now. I'll scatter the treats instead. Thanks!

I learned the hard way that scattering works better. I have 4 BYM that are 10 weeks old. Anytime I try to touch them they peck at my hands looking for treats . . .I will not be hand feeding the next batch . . .hands are for pets and cuddles, not pecking lol.

 

[ChickenMomsince2025]

I learned the hard way that scattering works better. I have 4 BYM that are 10 weeks old. Anytime I try to touch them they peck at my hands looking for treats . . .I will not be hand feeding the next batch . . .hands are for pets and cuddles, not pecking lol.

My 6 week old Brahma chick is already trying to eat the folds of my palm lol They have unlimited feed, but they act like they're starving hahaha. The other day I made a mistake of eating a burger in front of my Buff Orpington and she jumped up to get a bite of my burger, I moved it just in time. She thinks she's a dog lol Not sure if they can handle beef.

 

[redinator]

My 6 week old Brahma chick is already trying to eat the folds of my palm lol They have unlimited feed, but they act like they're starving hahaha. The other day I made a mistake of eating a burger in front of my Buff Orpington and she jumped up to get a bite of my burger, I moved it just in time. She thinks she's a dog lol Not sure if they can handle beef.

I was eating a slice of pizza while they were out and about in my room . . . yes, I like to dangerously . . . . and a bit of cheese fell on the floor. My tiny little fluff balls turned into raptors . . . . after that I used bits of cheese a few times to get them to hold still for pictures . . .they were 2ish weeks old.

I mentioned it in a post and several people told me chickens can't have lactose . . . apparently mine never read the book, lol. I did stop using cheese.

I'm not sure about the beef though.

 

[Project Blue]

I just hatched 5 Vorwerks and was in for a surprise. 4 hatched on time the 5th was a couple days late and little off. All 4 pecked curiously at the new chick like your talking about and hard to deter. This is so unlike my Ameraucana chicks where I can add similar ages without too much fuss. What I did was put two clear low plastic boxes under a heat lamp where the aggressive chicks can see the picked on chick in the adjoining box and waited a day. The next morning I added what I perceived as the least aggressive chick to the picked on chick's box and kept adding ever hour or so another chick. Now all 5 act as one. Do something similar. Maybe a perforated wall, so they can interact and see each other without damage. Incidentally I have a single RIR chick that I got as a bonus egg with shipped Ameraucana eggs. That RIR is in with 4 Ameraucanas and 4 Chocolate Orpingtons, and I marvel how calm and nice the RIR was compared to the other chicks. I've also had Vorwerks that were gentle chicks from a different breeder. So I'd say it maybe more a strain of a certain breed that might determine disposition rather than a specific breed, excepting fighting breeds. Although I think this pecking behavior is not really aggression but figuring things out with very young chicks.

 

[redinator]

Although I think this pecking behavior is not really aggression but figuring things out with very young chicks.

My dad was horrified at the chicks pecking each other from day one... he said something along the lines of . . ."They must all be fightin' cocks to come out swinging like that." (imagine that in Boomhauer's voice and you have my dad in a nutshell) lol.

I said what, "What would a bunch of toddlers do if you tossed them in a room together, and they'd never seen another toddler? . . . Poke eyes, pull hair, bite . . .?" I explained that they explore the world with their beaks, just like kids do.

He quit giving me chicken "advice" after that, lol.