Bully Baby

[ironsightfarm]

Hi all!

New to BYC with a bully chick on my hands. First time with hatchlings and I'm not sure how to handle it. Chicks arrived yesterday morning, and it began as soon as they were put in the brooder - Speckled Sussex female (teeny tiny!) picking on lighter colored chicks (3 of them, one more than others) but leaving darker chicks alone. Bullied chicks eating, drinking, and able to snooze under heat plate in spite of bullying. Some peck marks beginning around eyes.

Unsure how to handle - do I separate bully? Separate the lighter chicks? Is it stress related due to shipping and I should let it work itself out? I have one chick that's really getting the brunt of it and I'm trying to avoid injuries at 3 days old.

Using Premier 1 heat plate, 1 qt. waterer and 1 qt. feeder in 21" x 27" cardboard box w/ puppy pads for 8 chicks, 3 days old. Mirror and pile of shavings for enrichment. Everyone eating, drinking, and active!

I've been reading threads for a while now - so happy this site is an available resource!

 

[Bantambird]

Sometimes a time out can work, just like with little kids. They are very social, so if she gets separated for a while, she might calm down. There's also a topical ointment called No Pick, it tastes really bad, and you can apply it to wounded areas to discourage picking. Another idea is adding a little more protein to their diet, , like a few mealworms, grasshoppers, or field peas. Sometimes when craving more protein birds will eat feathers. Hope this helps!

 

[ironsightfarm]

Sometimes a time out can work, just like with little kids. They are very social, so if she gets separated for a while, she might calm down. There's also a topical ointment called No Pick, it tastes really bad, and you can apply it to wounded areas to discourage picking. Another idea is adding a little more protein to their diet, , like a few mealworms, grasshoppers, or field peas. Sometimes when craving more protein birds will eat feathers. Hope this helps!

Any idea if No Pick is safe to use around eyes?

 

[Bantambird]

https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/asin/B00E9RKPD2/ref=ask_mdp_dpmw_ql_hza?isAnswered=true
Here's pick no more, others have used it on the face, but it isn't good to get it into eyes. Should be able to dab it on careful, with a qtip, if bully gets a taste she should stop since it's awful tasting.

 

[ironsightfarm]

https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/asin/B00E9RKPD2/ref=ask_mdp_dpmw_ql_hza?isAnswered=true
Here's pick no more, others have used it on the face, but it isn't good to get it into eyes. Should be able to dab it on careful, with a qtip, if bully gets a taste she should stop since it's awful tasting.

Thanks so much! I'll look into it - she's either pecking at their eyes or grabbing the fluff around their eyes and pulling. I may be able to put this away from eyes but still in the area she's pulling on.

 

[Matzwd]

I'm watching for ideas in your thread because I've got thr same situation. Wyorp shared this article in my thread, very informative.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior.72029/

 

[ironsightfarm]

I'm watching for ideas in your thread because I've got thr same situation. Wyorp shared this article in my thread, very informative.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior.72029/

It's comforting to know that this is not a unique problem! I haven't separated anyone yet as the bullying is not continuous, there are no significant injuries, and everyone is eating, drinking, and allowed under the heat plate. The chicks are in the mudroom so I'm able to hear any squabbles, and I have yet to intervene for the past few hours. I've definitely noticed the behavior gets worse under stress (bedding change, checking chicks, etc.), so the mention in the article about extra stimuli was interesting.

Hoping for some more input in this thread as well!

 

[ironsightfarm]

*Update* for @Matzwd - you mentioned you were following this thread, so I figured I would let you know how things were going!

I ultimately ending up separating the problem chick and one other after I went in in the morning to find the 3 lighter chicks being bullied with 4 significant eye injuries - problem chick was acting neurotic (frantic, not settling, violent), and second chick was following suit (grabbing eyelids and shaking). Put the 2 in "timeout" brooder with plastic wall separating the 2 brooders.

After 3 days, I tried to reintegrate. The problem chick was unable to be reintegrated (same behavior) but the 2nd chick was. Unfortunately, the 2nd chick was again separated after she became aggressive again at that night's last check-in (eyelid tear for my New Hampshire, poor thing).

Today, day 4, I waited until things settled after morning chores and attempted reintegration again and it was (thankfully!) a complete success! A few pecks here and there but it quickly ended - the problem chick is calm, quiet, and well behaved. 2nd chick is now being kept in check by a few other chicks (one of them a lighter one that had been picked on). All spent the afternoon picking through shavings and are now sound asleep under heat plate.

Interestingly they are all a week old today, which I've read in a few different places is when this behavior may begin to dissipate if it's been an issue. Also, waiting until after the stress of morning chores may have made a difference.

Hope things are going better on your end as well!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hi all!

New to BYC with a bully chick on my hands. First time with hatchlings and I'm not sure how to handle it. Chicks arrived yesterday morning, and it began as soon as they were put in the brooder - Speckled Sussex female (teeny tiny!) picking on lighter colored chicks (3 of them, one more than others) but leaving darker chicks alone. Bullied chicks eating, drinking, and able to snooze under heat plate in spite of bullying. Some peck marks beginning around eyes.

Unsure how to handle - do I separate bully? Separate the lighter chicks? Is it stress related due to shipping and I should let it work itself out? I have one chick that's really getting the brunt of it and I'm trying to avoid injuries at 3 days old.

Using Premier 1 heat plate, 1 qt. waterer and 1 qt. feeder in 21" x 27" cardboard box w/ puppy pads for 8 chicks, 3 days old. Mirror and pile of shavings for enrichment. Everyone eating, drinking, and active!

I've been reading threads for a while now - so happy this site is an available resource!

Hi all!

New to BYC with a bully chick on my hands. First time with hatchlings and I'm not sure how to handle it. Chicks arrived yesterday morning, and it began as soon as they were put in the brooder - Speckled Sussex female (teeny tiny!) picking on lighter colored chicks (3 of them, one more than others) but leaving darker chicks alone. Bullied chicks eating, drinking, and able to snooze under heat plate in spite of bullying. Some peck marks beginning around eyes.

Unsure how to handle - do I separate bully? Separate the lighter chicks? Is it stress related due to shipping and I should let it work itself out? I have one chick that's really getting the brunt of it and I'm trying to avoid injuries at 3 days old.

Using Premier 1 heat plate, 1 qt. waterer and 1 qt. feeder in 21" x 27" cardboard box w/ puppy pads for 8 chicks, 3 days old. Mirror and pile of shavings for enrichment. Everyone eating, drinking, and active!

I've been reading threads for a while now - so happy this site is an available resource!

You probably should separate the picker with a piece of hardware cloth or wire just for a day or 2 until the behavior stops. I don’t think that one is being a bully, it is just curious about the other chicks eyes especially against the light feathering, the eyes would show more. The eyes probably look like shiny little bugs. That happened to one of my chicks on the first day, one of the chicks blinded my black copper Marans in 1 eye on the first day!

 

[ironsightfarm]

You probably should separate the picker with a piece of hardware cloth or wire just for a day or 2 until the behavior stops. I don’t think that one is being a bully, it is just curious about the other chicks eyes especially against the light feathering, the eyes would show more. The eyes probably look like shiny little bugs. That happened to one of my chicks on the first day, one of the chicks blinded my black copper Marans in 1 eye on the first day!

I should have taken a video to post because I've never seen a little creature be such a tyrant! I did my nest to not intervene, but everyone was stressed and there were significant injuries happening After a few days of separation, we're back to normal behavior (if we can call eye pecks and toe grabbing normal )

Thanks for the post - if anything like this happens again I'm feeling more confident in handling it!