Baby chicks not getting along

[Chicagoboy]

So it started with me getting 1 baby chick and you guys told me that the little guy need some friends so the next day i went back and got 2 more, every was great until today when i saw him biting his new sibling toes, like he wont stop going after them. they been together for a week now. is this normal?

 

[member 592157]

Imo, I wouldn't really worry about it. Pretty much chicks will pick at everyone and everything that moves or attracts their interest. As long as they have food, water, and heat and there is no blood, I would just call it normal behavior but more experienced people might have more info for ya

 

[TwoCrows]

Babies get bored and go after each other. Mine always go for eyeballs along with toes. Give them things to do...put in some branches or small roost bars to climb on. I like to put in a cereal box cut down with things to scratch around in. Get them outside in the coop to burn calories, even let them out in a protected place in the house. Anything to burn off excess energy. You can put dried crushed leaves, chick starter, a pinch of sand in the box. Make sure it's not too warm either, chilling the temp down a couple degrees can stop help slow aggression as well.

 

[Left Spur]

Mine actually fine being alone, i have 3 eggs in the incubator, but then one out in the beginning, and one more after the incubator goes wrong and the temperature rises near the hatch time.
Yea he is kinda lonely at first but he get used to.

 

[Racbino]

Do you have a red heat lamp? I’ve heard that the red light discourages them from fighting.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

is this normal?

Unfortunately yes.. but two crows did a good job explaining it as well as the previous poster.. GOOD job, following the sage advice.. 3 is a GOOD number for small chick groups.. and one is definitely not a happy creature with none of it's own kind to communicate with.. they will be much more well rounded and functional now!

As suggested add in some enrichment.. colorful polka dots on the walls, shiny marbles, anything interesting to explore the world around them and help their brains develop cognition... Just like human babies, dog babies, and many other animal babies.. they do this by putting everything in their mouth.. one of the ways they sense the world around them.

Crickets.. can be an all out BLAST!

Do you have a red heat lamp? I’ve heard that the red light discourages them from fighting.

Red lamp allows for more natural sleep pattern than white.. but infrared or heat plate are far superior to BOTH and allow for a full natural night time cycle.. rested chicks are happy chicks. The red lamp also helps hide any accidental blood spots.. fades them out.. because chicks peck at things that look different or out of place.. it might be a bug.. if they taste that rich blood then they may not stop.. So it helps prevent SOME pecking.. in both these ways.

Mine actually fine being alone,

No chick or chicken is TRULY fine being alone long term.. they aren't lone creatures.. they're flock creatures. Short term.. all will deal.. and look to connect with something else..

Long term.. that's cruelty to animals... and spoken by someone who can't sense what the chicken.. is missing, feeling, etc.. I've SEEN them show compassion and empathy to each other.. Humans rely too much on what is said.. instead of seeing that so much MORE in communicated far beyond vocalizations with familiar sounds and associations..

Yea he is kinda lonely at first but he get used to.

I realize it's not always a choice to get another chick and things happen beyond our control at times.. But if it's an option.. don't make an animal adjust to known unnatural conditions.. that's surviving.. which is much MUCH different than thriving.. Most of us were created resilient and can choose to thrive despite being placed in undesirable circumstances..

Saying I value the encouragement that it can be done if needed.. but denounce ANY insinuation that it's an okay choice.

 

[Left Spur]

Unfortunately yes.. but two crows did a good job explaining it as well as the previous poster.. GOOD job, following the sage advice.. 3 is a GOOD number for small chick groups.. and one is definitely not a happy creature with none of it's own kind to communicate with.. they will be much more well rounded and functional now!

As suggested add in some enrichment.. colorful polka dots on the walls, shiny marbles, anything interesting to explore the world around them and help their brains develop cognition... Just like human babies, dog babies, and many other animal babies.. they do this by putting everything in their mouth.. one of the ways they sense the world around them.

Crickets.. can be an all out BLAST!


Red lamp allows for more natural sleep pattern than white.. but infrared or heat plate are far superior to BOTH and allow for a full natural night time cycle.. rested chicks are happy chicks. The red lamp also helps hide any accidental blood spots.. fades them out.. because chicks peck at things that look different or out of place.. it might be a bug.. if they taste that rich blood then they may not stop.. So it helps prevent SOME pecking.. in both these ways.


No chick or chicken is TRULY fine being alone long term.. they aren't lone creatures.. they're flock creatures. Short term.. all will deal.. and look to connect with something else..

Long term.. that's cruelty to animals... and spoken by someone who can't sense what the chicken.. is missing, feeling, etc.. I've SEEN them show compassion and empathy to each other.. Humans rely too much on what is said.. instead of seeing that so much MORE in communicated far beyond vocalizations with familiar sounds and associations..


I realize it's not always a choice to get another chick and things happen beyond our control at times.. But if it's an option.. don't make an animal adjust to known unnatural conditions.. that's surviving.. which is much MUCH different than thriving.. Most of us were created resilient and can choose to thrive despite being placed in undesirable circumstances..

Saying I value the encouragement that it can be done if needed.. but denounce ANY insinuation that it's an okay choice.

Thats why i had 3 eggs in the beginning, it is an unfortunate circumstances, i have no more eggs right now, i will let him join the adult later, let him join right now will only be a massacre,
Buy another chick?
Yea, unfortunately i am a bit wary today, i used to do that back then only to find my flock contracting a disease, even tho i had been quarantine it.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thats why i had 3 eggs in the beginning, it is an unfortunate circumstances, i have no more eggs right now, i will let him join the adult later, let him join right now will only be a massacre,
Buy another chick?
Yea, unfortunately i am a bit wary today, i used to do that back then only to find my flock contracting a disease, even tho i had been quarantine it.

Keeping live animals is huge challenge..

You are correct.. there is no perfect answer.. and yes 100%.. I would raise a single hatched chick until it could join the flock.. over risking disease.. (that's not MY version of LONG term). There is NO such thing as true quarantine.. for MOST people, unfortunately. And we are all doing our best with what knowledge we have at the time.. I THOUGHT that's what I was catching from your post.. encouragement among circumstance and not that of long term keeping an individual for personal gain purposes like the popular ESA's (emotional support animals) these day's. Thanks

 

[Chicagoboy]

so i did what i can for today, i order some stuff off amazon but that wouldnt be here until the end of the week, so i went to pet smart and grab a few things. i use a purple heat lamp, and i got my older chick a guinea pig play house thing, he seems to like it alot. wont get off it now lol. the little are slowly getting use to the ladder. im currently waiting for my feeder to come in so right im just doing the best i can. but hey they are pooping and drinking so as long as thats happening i feel good

 

[DesertGrrl]

Babies get bored and go after each other. Mine always go for eyeballs along with toes. Give them things to do...put in some branches or small roost bars to climb on. I like to put in a cereal box cut down with things to scratch around in. Get them outside in the coop to burn calories, even let them out in a protected place in the house. Anything to burn off excess energy. You can put dried crushed leaves, chick starter, a pinch of sand in the box. Make sure it's not too warm either, chilling the temp down a couple degrees can stop help slow aggression as well.
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How old were your chicks in that photo?
I'm trying to figure out the age of my chicks when i first got them.