Are Welsummer chicks bullies?? Please advise!

[Hooterville]

Well, I have separated my chicks into two groups. The ones who seem laid back--the orps, cochins and brahmas and a few as yet unidentified layers make up one group and the other group has the marans, welsies and some other layers that seem a bit more boisterous.

Everyone seems to be doing OK now~~I haven't seen anymore of the really nasty pecking that those welsies had been doing.

Thank goodness!

 

[AthamGI]

The Welsies are planning a full scale uprising. Sleep with a shotgun. They'll go after you as soon as you let your guard down.

 

[Hooterville]

Those welsies are cute as the dickens even though I'm sure now that they are evil!

I have all in a very large shipping box approx 4' x 5'. Its divided in the middle by hardware cloth. Everyone seems to be getting along as long as their on their own side of the fence.

I did place one of the welsies on the other side of the fence and the little stinker immediately went for one of my orps.

Back in with his kind he went!
They get along just find with the "darker" chicks--marans, partrige cochins and some that are as yet unidentified--they just don't like the "white" chicks~~I feel like I'm not being very politically correct keeping them segregated like this!!

 

[Windy Ridge]

I doubt at that age that it's real aggression (although I could be wrong). Sometimes breeds that forage well, when they're quite young, have that instinct to try to "taste" everything. Unfortunately, in a small brooder, this can include eyes of other chicks (as well as freckles on your arm--watch out!).

If they were being raised "out" by momma hen, they'd probably have other things to distract them. If that's it--if it's just foraging instinct--they will learn in a week or two that eyes aren't really good for pecking. (seemed my girls took longer to learn about the freckles

)It is a good idea to separate them for sure if they're causing damage! Just keep in mind they may well be very nice chickens that will get along well in a mixed flock. Foragers, in general, can sometimes want to test out spots with a peck, whether they're on the wall of the brooder, your arm, or another chick's head!

I do hope you just happen to have a bunch of nice foragers on your hands!

 

[Hooterville]

I'm hoping that they're great foragers! I put in a small piece of firewood on both sides and they are all just having a ball jumping up and down and pecking on it here and there. I felt like they needed something to entertain them as they're trying their best to scratch the flowers off the sheets they're on!

I've considered a mobile!! hee hee