ARGH!!!! My beautiful birds!!!

[ChickenToes]

I went to visit my grandparents today and my grandpa asked me if my chickens (7.5 weeks old) had started pecking each other yet. I said no, not yet.

Well then I get home, and one of the smaller black australorps roos has a small bloody spot on his back. I couldn't figure out where to put him, so I just let him outside with me while I thought of where I could put him to isolate him awhile. When I went back into the coop, Thumper, one of my EEs, had a oozing bloody spot the size of a quarter on her back. So I had to wrangle the brooder outside into the garage, track down their chick feeder and water, and put shavings into the brooder. I put Thumper in first. Then I had to go track down my little roo, who was quite enjoying being a free ranger. I eventually got him into the brooder, and they both seem to be doing fine. I think I'm more worked up about it than they are!

 

[rhchick]

There must be something in the air lately. I have two 7 week old Delawares that are being picked on by their room-mates (leghorns) relentlessly. I keep sneaking them in at night to see if the others will just accept them and not notice but by mid morning they are beating them up again. They were all hatched and raised together. I don't know what has gotten into them. I am tired of having all of these little spats and separations.