Baby Leghorn Behavior

[acsempronio]

I have Four 3-week old chicks: Barred, Orpy, RIR, and the Leghorn.

The Leghorn, I think, is the pariah in the group: she is constantly being chased by the RIR and the Barred, she is the only chick that scratches the bottom of the brooder, she is the only chick that attempts to scratch from the feeder, to top it off, she pecks every **** thing she sees.

The pecking usually attracts the others, but when they realize that she's pecking at the wall, for no reason, they walk away (until they're attention span runs its limit and they thing she's pecking something new.)

I realize they are chickens and are prone to do bird-like things, but I'm pretty sure this leghorn is mentally handicapped.

The water would be shaving and food free if not for the leghorn, and there would be less food on the floor if it weren't for her.

/endRant

 

[Volkova]

Hi there!

I wouldn't threat about it now, all my chicks kick and scratch the food and shavings into the water and kick the water into the shavings. It's a pain but because the Leghorn is an older breed and more flighty/aggressive, it's naturally more active and curious. Chicks are born with the instinct to kick the ground for food like chickens do. RIR, Barred and Orps have been developed to be more docile and therefore have weaker instincts to do natural chicken behaviour, which is pecking, scratching and investigating everything.

You cannot really do much to stop the chick from doing it, but you could raise the food and water slightly above the ground so they can only peck at it at a particular height, so they cannot kick or scratch it around.

But, you can stop this from happening to your next load of chicks (if you are getting more), when they are moved into the brooder, simply tap their beak into the water, they know where water is now. For food, simply put them in the brooder and tap your finger into the food only, a chick will then copy you (they think you're the mother!) and then the others will follow (chicks learn from their brothers and sisters too!). That will hopefully stop the problem from occurring again.

Good luck with your chicks.

 

[Hotelclepto]

I've got three barred Plymouths and three buff orps 4 weeks old; and they all peck everything including the brooder walls. They also scratch the ground alot and I can't get the wood shavings out of the feeders fast enough. Good luck

 

[stake]

I'm a newbie with x2BO, x2GLW, x2SG Dorkings....mine all scratch and peck all over,,,,I moved the feeder and waterer onto pieces of scrape 2x4s to try to keep it cleaner...I also gave them a bit more room in the dog crate I'm using as a brooder....I also have one of my BO that dusts whenever I put down clean pine shavings...mine are 8days old...