are my chicks playing or fighting?

[dstump54]

Hi i have 8 chicks. 4 aracaunas 4 New Hampshire reds. They are 3 weeks old. I have them in a 3 foot by 2 foot galvanize water tub. They are always flying around bumping into each other. Don't know if they don't like each other or playing.

 

[Percheron chick]

That's normal. You could be putting them out during the day in a larger enclosed area and they will be worn out and quieter when they come in.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Yes that's normal. They are establishing the pecking order. They will chest bump too as they get older. There is always someone down near the bottom of the peck order who wants to rise in the order. They will fly right out of your tub- hope you have it covered with some metal fencing that won't catch fire.

 

[dstump54]

The aracaunas seem more aggressive. I have a metal screen on top. I have one aracauna that jumps straight up when i open up screen to feed them. She wants out. I have a chain link dog kennel I'm gonna use for run. I'm gonna put a row of chicken wire along bottom. But it has been raining here for a week straight. I think they are feathered out enough to go out for the days.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

The aracaunas seem more aggressive. I have a metal screen on top. I have one aracauna that jumps straight up when i open up screen to feed them. She wants out. I have a chain link dog kennel I'm gonna use for run. I'm gonna put a row of chicken wire along bottom. But it has been raining here for a week straight. I think they are feathered out enough to go out for the days.

Sounds good! Once I saw an owl pull a chick through my dog kennel run before I had lined it with chicken wire, at dusk. By the time I ran out there the poor chick was dead and the owl had flown away.