Bullying

[Perezfourlife]

I purchased 4 more (I was told they were bantams) chicks in order to keep that one company and there is one chick that seems to be bullying the original 1 (it seems to follow him and poke him). I'm thinking it might be of a different type of bantam or even chicken as it has a few feathers a long its feet/legs. Also the original chick now seems like the runt of the flock as the others are considerably larger:/. I don't know if I should just separate them and which ones, as I don't want to wake up with the original chick dead, or simply regard it as a situation they must outgrow?? I would also like to add in after the previous death of 2 of its companions from yesterday, we held him a considerable amount of time, while we thought he'd pass (he showed similar symptoms of the other 2). before his other 2 companions died he was a quiet almost serious chick, afterwards he became extremely attached to me and basically any human. could this be part of it? He now chirps constantly until a person comes in to see him or holds him< its gotten to the point where he hops on your hands quickly if you extend it to him< and then he'll cuddle with you. While this quality is one I like about him, I hope its not what sets him as an outcast from the rest of the flock. Thanks for any advice or suggestions....

 

[Lipkis]

Picking can be a problem for chicks.

My suggestion is to teach the original chick that harming the other ones are bad. I remember reading on the boards somewhere that you should "peck" back at the oddender with your fingers (Gently of course they're just babies)

You could seperate the bully from the chicks by putting him somewhere else but keeping hyim in the line of vision of the other chicks so they won't hurt each other when reunited.

 

[Perezfourlife]

Makes sense, I will try that, hopefully it works!

Thanks for the advice Lipkis