agressive 4 week old leghorn pullet

[Zsuzzzs]

Hi ever

 

[Zsuzzzs]

Hi everyone! Sorry for the looser start ...
This is my 4 time hatching, and never had agression this intensive.
Now 4 week old chicks, 2 white leghorn cockerels, 7 white leghorn pullets, 4 pearl leghorn pullets, 5 cream legbar pullets, 4 cream legbar cockerels and 2 unsexed araucanas and 2 bresse pullets.
2 days ago I found the first signs of aggression, 1 bresse and 2 white leghorn pullets had their tail feathers pulled and a little blood. Ok, not a big deal, used blue spray on them and put in some toys for them not to get bored. But now as I check on them every few ours, its getting worse and worse. As I gathered there is one particular pullet that pecks everyone she gets to in an istant. As 2 of the injuries started to look serious, I separated the two.
They have nearly 60 sqft in the garage, so space should not be an issue. Its cleaned regularly. Food and drink always in front of them more than enough, 2 days ago I started to add more phoshorus (I have no idea what it's called). So the only stress can be the heat, which I cannot really change. It's 30-35 Celsius degrees outside nowadays and doesn't really seem to cool down soon, and it's an unheated-unvooled garage. I cought the agressive pullet and not having better idea I put her in a box for now, but it can only be for a couple of hours.

The problem is, I only have 1 cage I can separate chicks for days. Should I put the two injured one back to the flock and separate the agressor? I'm afraid she'll pick on the rest, but also afraid the injured ones will be picked on by the others. What should I do?

 

[Fluster Cluck Acres]

The injured chicks will likely continue getting picked on by the others. I would seperate them- preferably keep them with the others but in a crate. If there is only 1 aggressive chick, it should also be removed. It may need to be culled if it's harming the others you don't have an alternate space to raise it in.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I had a two week old chick being raised by a broody hen kill a sibling by pecking it on the head. It immediately started pecking another chick's head. I separated that aggressor for that day and put it back with the broody and other chicks that night. He (a cockerel) no longer tried to kill its siblings but I made sure he was the first cockerel butchered (at 16 weeks) out of that brood.

I had a mature hen grooming my dominant rooster by plucking feathers out of his neck. She was starting to create a bare spot. This time I isolated the victim for 24 hours and the behavior stopped.

Isolation does not always work but it did these times. One time isolating the victim, one the aggressor. You do not get guarantees with living animals and their behaviors. I don't think it is anything you are doing. They should have plenty of room and they have other distractions. You are not doing anything wrong, it's just different chicken personalities.

I don't know what will best work for you. Since you are using bluecoat you might be able to out those two back with the others if you isolate the aggressor. If you remove those two the aggressor may pick on a different chick.

My first attempt would be to put those two back with the flock and see how they get along while isolating the aggressor for several days. Observe as best you can and make your decisions based on what you see. Your problem is probably with the chick doing the pecking but is it the only one pecking? You may be able to correct that behavior but I have been known to permanently remove either the aggressor or the victim to maintain "peace in the flock". To me, that is a rough side of flock management.

Good luck!