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

[Tikkijane]

Only really had this once with my Blue Andalusian- turned out to be a roo. We separated him until he stopped (which meant about an hour later we tried him back in and he was ok

). I have 6 EEs (and others) and have not had a problem with them, fwiw.

 

[Haunted Chicken]

Success!!!! I'm still in shock. It took almost 2 weeks of Goldie being by her self. A couple times each day I would gather the 3 girls and take them into my bathroom and sit on the floor monitoring them. She was just awful to them, I didn't dare leave them alone with her. As soon as I'd see that look in her eye I'd put my hand in front of her beak. If she did get passed me and peck them I'd hold her down for a few seconds, gentle but firm. They would huddle on my lap not wanting to be out of my reach. If she hoped up they ran to the corner. And then finally two days ago they stayed when she hoped up, I held my hand in front of her beak and she laid down next to them. They all slept for half an hour curled up on my lap together. Later that day I let them all sit on the top of the brooder together for half an hour with only a few mild pecks. Finally I put her in with them and she immediately started to dust bathe. One of her sisters joined in and I guess they bonded. The other sister just watched them like they were nuts (hasn't figured out the dust bathing thing yet) She did peck a few times but her sister pecked her back gently and then they all laid down and went to sleep. Now they are thick as thieves. They do everything together. I am so happy!!!!!!

I'm so glad I didn't give up on her.

 

[afj6710]

So glad that you've found something that works!

We found a solution too - we got a rooster that is a couple of weeks older than our other chicks and he is keeping everyone in check.

 

[srfjeld]

Thanks for all the posts! It gives me hope for when I can begin integrating my 2 new ones (5-6 wks), who are currently being treated for cocci. I got them Monday and just (like an idiot) threw them in with the others. When my oldest (9 weeks) went after them, pecking them hard on the back of their necks and heads, I read up on separating them. I think it was too much for their systems and one, or both now have cocci. So, tomorrow if I see that they have been bloody poop free and don't seem stressed out, I'll try again, only this time keeping them in the safety of their wire kennel. I'm prepared for a couple weeks of it and hope it goes well.

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
My plan worked! I had the EE in the kennel for about a week. My EE is still top hen(I think), but she is no longer bullying the d'uccle. The EE hated being in the dog kennel at first, but she did settle down after a few days. I'd do it again if needed.

I took the dog kennel out and I have all the chicks in there with another kennel connected at the side in the basement. It's almost 100 degrees outside and in the coop. They are all doing excellent and there is no pecking one another, which surprises me due to the smaller space they are sharing. Although, I think they are very happy to be inside. They are talking to one another in their quiet happy voices.

 

[Haunted Chicken]

Quote:
My daughter's in-laws have a farm and were willing to take Goldie and see if their rooster would teach her a thing or two

. They said their older hens would have jumped in on the discipline too. I'm glad I didn't have to send her to boot camp

but it was defiantly the next thing we were going to try if this didn't work. So glad the rooster worked for you. I wish we could have one here.

 

[Haunted Chicken]

Quote:
My plan worked! I had the EE in the kennel for about a week. My EE is still top hen(I think), but she is no longer bullying the d'uccle. The EE hated being in the dog kennel at first, but she did settle down after a few days. I'd do it again if needed.

I took the dog kennel out and I have all the chicks in there with another kennel connected at the side in the basement. It's almost 100 degrees outside and in the coop. They are all doing excellent and there is no pecking one another, which surprises me due to the smaller space they are sharing. Although, I think they are very happy to be inside. They are talking to one another in their quiet happy voices.

Yay! Isn't it a good feeling! I hated seeing Goldie by herself for so long but man was she aggressive and it WORKED! I'm going to hang onto my large dog kennel just in case.

 

[Chick15]

I had this exact same problem, i tried separating her/ him (im pretty sure it was the Spekld susex roostr) and i felt so bad, so i put a log in and sprinkled some of the food over it and they went nuts! I guess he forgot about trying to peck their eyeballs out?

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Resurrecting this thread to report another aggressive chick. These are only DAY-OLDS and we had hardly left the farm where we picked them up before the RIR started going at the BO and the Australorp. She just wouldn't leave them alone, pecking at their eyes and their feet.

My husband put a divider in the cardboard box brooder to separate them and he is determined to drive the RIR back to the farm and swap her out. We already have a mean EE who torments my d'Uccle (who RAISED her as a broody but then the EE turned on her!) and we don't want to deal with another mean one.

So disturbing.

 

[azygous]

While you are seeing breed at work here, an aggressive chick may be "trained" by giving it a quick, but gentle poke on the back each time it acts up.

Try it. If it's going to work, it usually does in just two or three days of doing this.