Bully chick!

[Sloane Chickens]

We have some chicks, between 2-3 weeks old now.
3 purchased from one place in the same brooder together.

And one is a downright bully!?!
Keeps attacking the white chick and the smaller blue one. (Also keeps just standing on the small blue one)

(in a temp cage atm, while I clean the brooder out)

What should I do? Is separating it a bad idea?

 

[Debbie292d]

If I can find the thread, I'll paste it here, but one suggestion I got worked for me in a similar situation. They said to stand by the brooder and watch. Every time the bully chick bullies, twap them gently with your thumb and pointer finger. The longer you can stay and do this, the better. I did it for a few minutes, then the bully would stop. I'd leave and come back, and it was doing it again so I continued. After about three sessions, it finally learned.

Otherwise, yes, you could separate the bully out, but it'll cry, unless you can put a different chick with it that it won't pick on. Do this for a couple of days and put it/them back. It might have changed the dynamics of the brooder, and this bully won't be a bully anymore.

 

[Sloane Chickens]

If I can find the thread, I'll paste it here, but one suggestion I got worked for me in a similar situation. They said to stand by the brooder and watch. Every time the bully chick bullies, twap them gently with your thumb and pointer finger. The longer you can stay and do this, the better. I did it for a few minutes, then the bully would stop. I'd leave and come back, and it was doing it again so I continued. After about three sessions, it finally learned.
Otherwise, yes, you could separate the bully out, but it'll cry, unless you can put a different chick with it that it won't pick on.

Ooo thank you! If you can find it that would be great. Unfortunately we only have 3 - and it picks on both of the other two. But it is also the biggest SOOK and cries out heaps. Our first night with them home, it wouldn’t stop chirping, so I picked it up and it fell asleep in my shirt so I’m really hoping it doesn’t stay mean (and is a hen) because I’ll be a bit sad to see it go lol.

 

[Debbie292d]

Ooo thank you! If you can find it that would be great. Unfortunately we only have 3 - and it picks on both of the other two. But it is also the biggest SOOK and cries out heaps. Our first night with them home, it wouldn’t stop chirping, so I picked it up and it fell asleep in my shirt so I’m really hoping it doesn’t stay an xxx (and is a hen) because I’ll be a bit sad to see it go lol.

I found it!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior.72029/

 

[Sloane Chickens]

I found it!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior.72029/

Thank you!

We moved our chicks to a bigger run and the bully has stopped. I’m wondering if they were bored / run too small (it was bigger than what we got them from tho. So who knows!)
I’m saving this thread though as we have chicks hatching so may end up with another bully lol