Bully Chick! Help!

[Kristy7458]

One of my babies has started acting like a bully. I think he is a male, because his comb is much more pronounced than any of the others. I am not sure what he is, just bantam, and about 4 weeks old. He runs up to the other chicks, (3 others) and either jumps at them, making them squeak, or runs up to them and pecks at them. He mostly does this to the biggest chick who I assume is a fews days older than him, because of the feathering. I got them at Atwood's, and I know one is cochin, and one is silky, but the "bully" and the big one I don't know. They also are not the same breed as each other, Bully is featherfooted, and the other isn't. How can I nip this bullying in the bud?

ps, culling is not an option.

 

[SheeReno]

If it gets pretty bad I suppose you could leave him on his own a la "chicken jail" for about 3 days. I just get a smaller box with some food and water and they just hang out for a few days. You get close with the bully chickie too, which is nice. The others will move on and when you put the bully back in he should be much more tame.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Are you using a red heat lamp? If not, get one. Red is calming.

I've raised three sets of chicks with the current set of 26 three week olds in a HUGE stock tank that's getting a little tight on space with the chicks tripled in size and I still don't have any bullies.

Occasionally, a couple will chest bump but that's it.

I'm sold on only using red lights.

 

[gvntofly05]

I ordered the 25 EE special from MPC and I got 26. I have 3 that seem to bully the others quite a bit. I'm thinking I have a few roo's because of their actions. They are 3 1/2 weeks old.

How soon can you tell if you have roos? What should I look for in the EE's?

 

[juliect]

Yep...chick jail.

I had one do that (it turned out to be a pullet though). I put a wire partition in brooder box (so she could see the others) and she spent about 3 or 4 days in "jail" with her own food and water. She snapped out of it and blends beautifully with the flock now. Plus she is a big baby who follows me around like a puppy because she spent extra time with me whenever she "cried" about being lonely.

Hang in there, there is hope!

 

[Kristy7458]

I am using the red light bulb, I read that on the forum before I got the babies, and everyone seemed to agree. I think I will do chicken jail, he's so funny otherwise, a real character. I think being a little lonely may be the ticket, Thanks for the advice!!