Aggressive chick - Edit: Success!!!!! Worth the work =)

[Haunted Chicken]

We had one 6 week old chick that was extremely aggressive towards the other chicks. Jumping at them and pecking their eyes. You can see her wait until they turn or lift their heads and then she pounces on them or runs after them. She's the largest so decided to separate her and recently went back and bought a few of her siblings to keep her company (since they are her size and she knows them). She is just as mean to them. They are terrified of her. We only purchased them a week apart so you's think she would remember them, but nope. We separated them by a gate for the entire day but she found a way threw last night and went straight for them. Is there any hope for this chick? She is the sweetest thing to humans. Will spend hours sitting next to you while you work. Loves being held, just hates other chickens.

 

[rancher hicks]

We had a BO we called Big Delores, but she changed. I would put something in there to occupy her time and make sure there is plenty of room in the brooder. Plus if you can two feeders and waterers might help too.

Hope all goes well,

rancher

 

[Haunted Chicken]

Thanks for the reply

We had two waterers and two feeders and plenty of room. As well as plenty of fruit bits and greens on both sides of the brooder. She wont stay away from the others and wont let them eat or drink without an attack. I've got her in a large tote right now and she wont stop crying. The others are looking at her making a sad noise I've never heard like they feel sorry for her. Either that or it's their sneaky way of saying "ha ha"

.

 

[Noobchick]

Im having a similar problem with one of my Ameracaunas. Shes been tryin to establish herself as Top Chicken in the pecking order I think. But she looks aggressive to me. Maybe this is normal for chickens???

Interested to see what other people have to say.

 

[afj6710]

I've got one chick that is aggressive to the others, though not quite as aggressive as yours. Ours actually picks on the older, bigger chicks as well.

I kind of think he may be a roo, and DH is hoping he is so we can eat him.

 

[Nicole01]

My oldest EE is bullying my d'uccle when I'm not watching them. I have her locked up in a dog kennel inside the coop for a couple days. Hopefully it will change her attitude.

 

[Haunted Chicken]

Quote:
Mines an Ameraucana as well. Gorgeous and loves people. So strange.


Nicole01 - I had her separated for a week from the other chicks until I could get some siblings for her to live with. You'd think after that long of a time out she'd catch on. She isn't doing little pecks, they're full on flying threw the air attacks ending with a mouth full of feathers. Mean

It's hard to say that about a chick you've bonded with, but it's true.



afj6710 - lol, Sorry but that's kind of funny

(The husband wanting to eat it...not the aggression)

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
Mines an Ameraucana as well. Gorgeous and loves people. So strange.


Nicole01 - I had her separated for a week from the other chicks until I could get some siblings for her to live with. You'd think after that long of a time out she'd catch on. She isn't doing little pecks, they're full on flying threw the air attacks ending with a mouth full of feathers. Mean

It's hard to say that about a chick you've bonded with, but it's true.



afj6710 - lol, Sorry but that's kind of funny

(The husband wanting to eat it...not the aggression)

Not nice at all. My EE is also biting my d'uccle. She too, is very nice to humans. Sunshine is only picking on one chick, but there's a huge size difference. I'm creating a safe space for my d'uccle sometime this week and will have it up when I let the EE out of jail.

 

[AZSummer]

They can change. My first batch had 8 chicks. Sheila that was MEAN to 4 of the other chicks. We had to separated her into another brooder for a bit of time out.
Donna took her place as the mean girl in the flock. She went into the separate brooder with Sheila. The two were fine together but picked on the 4 "weak ones" when we put them together. We kept them apart for a day, and then tried to put them back together. There was no improvement. We kept them apart for a second day and tried agail; still no improvement. I gave them away to our neighbor that night. Our girls are BFFs. Two days later he gave them back. The peeping drove him crazy. After 4-5 days apart, we put them back together. They've been fine every since! It may take several days to fix.

EDIT: It's interesting that everyone's having issues with Americana/EEs.

 

[Noobchick]

Wow. Interesting that three of us are all having issues with an aggressive EE/Ameracauna.