Brand new babies! But one really MEAN DOMINANT one! :( Help!

[arwmommy]

Brand new babies just got here! 7 bantam female chicks from mypetchicken.com, all alive and in GREAT condition (awesome packing!!). Unloaded them, gave all pedialyte, checked vents, introduced to water and feed and all look great, but....


There is one REALLY dominant, mean chick! She is just walking around pecking everyones eyes, feet, everything! She isn't even exploring, just picking on everyone. I know that there is a natural chain of dominance and am happy to let them establish their own flock dynamics, but ((((sigh)))) it seems so hard when one is so clearly hurting everyone else.

Is there anything I should/can do??? I doubt it, just knowing about animal behavior, but any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks, you guys are awesome!!!

 

[mlheran]

When they are very young they pick at everything -don't be surprised if the others start giving exploratory pokes to each others eyes, feet, fluff, etc. They really aren't being forceful, but like children their mouth is a way of testing the surface/texture/flavor of everything around them.

Just make sure they have plenty of room -if they are too crowded as they grow they will start pecking at each other and pulling feathers.

When my chicks were a few days old they gave everything around them an exploratory pick, but they soon learned what was worth eating. I wouldn't worry.

 

[Southern28Chick]

What color heat lamp bulb do you have? I know chicks peck a lot but if you have a white lamp it makes the chicks little black eyes shine which can cause them to peck each others eyes. If you don't already have it, get a red bulb. It helps with the pecking and helps them sleep better.

Or she may be stressed and crabby.

Hope this helps.

 

[arwmommy]

We do have a red lamp, specifically to prevent PMS in chicks

She seems to have mellowed a bit, but wow--- she is the leader for sure!

 

[boilerjoe_96]

NOt sure if I was suspposed to do this but here's what I did....

I had a chick that picked at all the others, they ganged up and made the little guy bleed in 5 or 6 areas. Some were big areas. Chick was a mess. I seperated that chick for 3 weeks, let him recover and everyone grow up a little. All the others were fine and didn't pick while doing this.

After 3 weeks or so and everyone was mostly feathered and bigger I put them all back together and they have all been fine.

Turns out the mean/picked chick was a White Rock Rooster. He is doing great and plays well with others now.....

 

[Lipkis]

Our chicks picked when their home was too small. Make sure they have room or that they're not too hot! If they're too warm they get a little irratable.

If you fix those problems she could just be dominant. If she keeps picking htough a good trick is to "pick" back at her with your gingers. Be gentle of course you're hand is probably ten times larger than her!

We did that with one of our larger chicks when she picked at the smaller ones. And now she realizes, "...Hm, if I pick at my sisters I get picked at by Mama and Susan." Since then we haven't had any picking problems!

 

[allen wranch]

I had a bossy little EE pullet like that one time. Understood why when "she" crowed.