I seem to have 3 new questions/problems a day! Sorry for all the insecurity, but if its not one thing it is another.
Four of my 10 New Hampshire chicks (2.5 weeks old) are pretty clearly cockerels, which is fine with me, except I'm starting to worry about their fighting. I wasn't at all worried, as I haven't seen blood, but today, as I watched, one got hurt during a fight. He held his wing like it was broken and peeped in alarm/pain. But, then I put a treat of wet food in, and pretty soon I couldn't tell which one it was that was hurt, and now hours later, I see no evidence of harm.
I have an 8 ' X 2' brooder box - not as big as I'd like for 24 birds, but it seems like enough room for now. Generally the birds are not showing a lot of aggression. But, these 2 (and maybe it involves all 4, but usually 2 at a time) jump up on each other just like a cock fight. Is this something I need to worry about. It will be hard, because I have nothing extra available to separate these birds. I was going to keep them in the brooder until they feathered, which is probably another week and a half or so.
Four of my 10 New Hampshire chicks (2.5 weeks old) are pretty clearly cockerels, which is fine with me, except I'm starting to worry about their fighting. I wasn't at all worried, as I haven't seen blood, but today, as I watched, one got hurt during a fight. He held his wing like it was broken and peeped in alarm/pain. But, then I put a treat of wet food in, and pretty soon I couldn't tell which one it was that was hurt, and now hours later, I see no evidence of harm.
I have an 8 ' X 2' brooder box - not as big as I'd like for 24 birds, but it seems like enough room for now. Generally the birds are not showing a lot of aggression. But, these 2 (and maybe it involves all 4, but usually 2 at a time) jump up on each other just like a cock fight. Is this something I need to worry about. It will be hard, because I have nothing extra available to separate these birds. I was going to keep them in the brooder until they feathered, which is probably another week and a half or so.