Bully Chick?

zyklonbetty

In the Brooder
8 Years
Jul 10, 2011
53
2
41
St Louis
Bummer:(
I went in with snacks this morning to find that my 2 week old chicks seemed to have killed my 3 week old serama chick. I am 99% sure I know the culprit. I have a 2 week old Mille fleur d'uccle Bantam, a black frizzle cochin bantam and the serama. My mille fleur has always been a bit of a bully and she likes to jump on the other chicks. There was not a size difference in the chicks at all, and there is always fresh and full food and water. they are completely spoiled as I also breed mealworms so always have treats and plenty of protein. As devastating as that was, it seems as if the mille chick is obsessed with pulling out the feathers of the frizzle. WHY COULD THIS BE?
I know that protein deficiency could be an issue, but as i said they get plenty of food/water and are on a good starter. They also get plenty of mealworms and bugs that we keep for them in the cold months. I am about to split them up, but why could this be?
I have read through a lot of pages of topics, and I am sure someone else has made a similar post, post I can not find one involving 2 week old chicks and not older chickens.
any help would be great.
 
I would coat the picked area with Rooster Booster pick no more lotion or black salve as it tastes bad (or whatever your feed store has).

Two weeks old is kind of young to be getting into a feather picking habit from my experience, but.....you sure want to nip it in the bud!

Also if you are using a white light you might want to switch to a red lamp.
 
My baby ee(rooster, day old) used to pluck feathers & bite eyes. So I put him in chicky prison! I just put a small screen in the brooded box and in a few weeks he snapped out of it!
Good luck!
 
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I think its best to either keep it separate or screen off the area in your brooder. Also, what color light are you using?
 
Sorry for your troubles. I agree with using a red light, you could raise it if you feel it's too warm ( I didn't stick with that 5% lower each week thing-you just gotta do what feels right!)also are there 'toys' in there to 'play' with? You can hang stuff, cut up plastic drinking straws, put in a small box, a perch etc. Best of luck.
 
I really do spoil them. There are hanging jingly bell cat toys, boxes with holes and driftwood to climb on/perch on. I have them split up now. I got home and my frizzle had no feathers on her crop:(
They are in separate containers now. Both with their own toys. Poor babies. I do have another serama poking her little beak out and hatching now. That helps my heart a little.
 

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