Bully chick!

[Artemis1]

Hi all, I have three 5 day old polish chicks in a 25 gallon brooder set up. I started with 4 but one died last night. Probably pasty butt even though i took care to check and clean her...the other 3 are fine. I only mention this because one of them has some pretty aggressive behavior and I wasn't sure if maybe illness is making him or her uncomfortable and subsequently ornery.

Here's the behavior : I have 2 white crested black and 1 golden polish. The golden has been ramming and headbutting the other 2 A LOT. I would say "constantly", but he does sleep, haha. He will start at the other 2 and push them either up against the glass or into the water. When the others are sleeping, he plows them and almost looks like he is rolling them. He is literally chasing after them.

Is this normal? Should I separate them? I don't really want to do that because of the socialization and heat factors...but, I am afraid he will hurt them or himself, plus it seems like they hardly get any decent rest unless he is knocked out too.

 

[1muttsfan]

Double post

 

[MyLoveableChick]

I too have a chicken like that. Have the 2 other chicks suffered any injuries from the aggressive chick?

 

[Artemis1]

Thanks, one looks it has a small bald spot above the wing, but not sure if it is from the bully or not. Last night he seemed to be less aggressive, so maybe it is just a phase or adjustment. Never saw this so young, kind of freaked me out thinking there was something wrong.

Maybe I spoke too soon, ha. I just heard chirping and the bully is trying to peck one of the others on the beak. That one he is going after has a black spot on the beak. Maybe they're bored?

 

[RitzHomestead]

Thanks, one looks it has a small bald spot above the wing, but not sure if it is from the bully or not. Last night he seemed to be less aggressive, so maybe it is just a phase or adjustment. Never saw this so young, kind of freaked me out thinking there was something wrong.

Maybe I spoke too soon, ha. I just heard chirping and the bully is trying to peck one of the others on the beak. That one he is going after has a black spot on the beak. Maybe they're bored?

Do they have enough room in the brooder? Sometimes I have found that my 10 chicks can get aggressive when they are bored or they are feeling cramped. Something that I have started doing on nice days is that I take them outside and let them walk around in the grass for about 20-30 minutes which has helped. Also you could add stuff for them to jump up on and perch on or even something as simple as a mirror placed in the brooder that they can see their reflection and peck at can help with their boredom.

 

[Artemis1]

Thanks, I think they may be bored. It has calmed down a bit. It is too cold to take them out, they are one week today and in the summer, I have had the chicks this age out in my "baby pen". We are building a bigger brooder, so hopefully that will help too! And I am hanging a CD for them
Thanks again for the advice, they freaked me out with the harassment