Biddie pecking its mother

[OrionDarkwood]

I have a Australorp that has 3 biddies. They are about 4 weeks old and one has started attacking its mother. I am talking chest bumping and full on pecking at her face. It bullies the smallest of the biddies but leaves the other one alone. Any ideas why the biddie is acting this way, other than its a overly aggressive biddie and probably needs to be seperated until old enough to be processed for food?

Thanks in Advance

 

[bobbi-j]

Sounds like you might have a little cockerel on your hands. How is the mother reacting? Is there any blood being drawn? What is it doing to "bully" the smallest one? If it's drawing blood, definitely remove the aggressor. If not, I would just leave it. How much space do they have (in feet by feet)? Is there enough for the bullied one to get away? Chicken society isn't all warm and cuddly. Not much warm and cuddly at all, as a matter of fact.

 

[OrionDarkwood]

Sounds like you might have a little cockerel on your hands. How is the mother reacting? Is there any blood being drawn? What is it doing to "bully" the smallest one? If it's drawing blood, definitely remove the aggressor. If not, I would just leave it. How much space do they have (in feet by feet)? Is there enough for the bullied one to get away? Chicken society isn't all warm and cuddly. Not much warm and cuddly at all, as a matter of fact.

I am pretty sure all 3 are roosters. The one in question (nick named Brute) does not draw blood yet, the mother pretty much ingores him most of the time. Sometimes she pecks him back (the pretty much remember who is boss peck). I know Chicken society is not all nice and cuddly but this goes beyond normal pecking order, practicing type pecking and chest bumping. On both counts it more ambushing, pecking until the mother pecks back or moves away. As for the biddie being bullied Brute does the same and also jumps on him and trying to hold him down and peck him. As far as the area they have the coop is 8 foot wide by 10 foot long by almost 8 foot tall and the run is 14 foot wide by 250 foot long the flock is currently at 11 adults, 9 "teenagers" aka 3 month olds and the 3 biddies.

 

[CiceroXY]

I also have Australorps and in my opinion they can still stay togheter in the same place. They are still chicks but if you haven't a large chicken coop, you'll have problems in the future. I lost one cockerel because of his brother, they fought to death for the hens

 

[OrionDarkwood]

I also have Australorps and in my opinion they can still stay togheter in the same place. They are still chicks but if you haven't a large chicken coop, you'll have problems in the future. I lost one cockerel because of his brother, they fought to death for the hens

CicerroXY,

No problems of that happening, any roosters other than our adult rooster has a date with the stew pot when they get around 3-4 months old.

 

[CiceroXY]

Oh well, in that case there will not be problems