Bully chick

[Richard Pryor]

I have a welsummer that's a bit bigger than the rest of my chicks (25 total). SHe's maybe 1-2 weeks older than the rest and she keeps pecking all the other chicks. If she would be a bit bigger I would eat her but she's still too small. What should I do? I keep her locked up in a box at night because otherwise she would be harassing everyone else. First thing in the morning I let them all out to free range and even though they have a ton of room, she picks feathers on all of them. Should I leave her out tonight and let a coyote handle my problem?

 

[Top Rooster]

Yes if she is a he I can't stand roosters but that makes me sound like a hypocrite because of my username they have all been mean to my hens so I'm never gonna get another's one and if I want to get fertilized eggs I'll get them from a neighbor. Anyway if he's a she just separate her in a pin outside till they are adults then introduce them again they will be able to defend themselves then but don't kill her if she's a she

 

[Richard Pryor]

Pretty sure it's a she

 

[Richard Pryor]

So just let her bully the hell out of all my chicks?

 

[Top Rooster]

No separate her from the others in a box or pin or something wher she doesn't have access to the other

 

[azygous]

Do you have a couple days to spend on this problem? I believe it's solvable with a bit of discipline, but you need to devote a little time to it, not much, maybe five minutes at a stretch four times a day for two or three days.

All you need to do is watch the chicks. Get ready to poke the bully with your finger on its back every time it starts going after another chick. You may also rig up a tiny cage and set it up in the center of your brooder to jail this chick when you aren't around to watch things. Food and water inside with the chick in the jail. It's not a good idea to segregate a chick away from other chicks. It only causes more problems when it comes back.

If you have 25 chicks in an enclosure that is less than 6' x 4', overcrowding may be contributing to your problem. After you have modified the behavior of this problem chick, you might want to rig up an outdoor play area for your chicks to spend a few hours a day during the warmest part of the day.

 

[Poultrybreeder]

I had the same problem, but with a Polish chick. I put her in her own space, but in a place that she could see the others and still know them, over time she stopped bullying