Chick behaving strangely - should I be worried?

[princess layer]

Hello,

I'm raising chicks for the first time and I was wondering if anyone could help with a question. I have five chicks, ten days old, being raised by a hen and one of them has started behaving strangely - it keeps attacking the mother hen, flying up at her aggressively and then getting under her feet. She seems to be getting fed up with the chick and has pecked it quite a few times although she hasn't done any visible damage. None of the other chicks are behaving like this. Is this normal behaviour or is it a sign that the chick is going to turn into a savage cockerel? And what would you do if you had this situation?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Lucy

 

[ArtGirl]

I think it's like the naughty little chick of the bunch but if it keeps it up I would separate him/her from the hen for it's safety. As long as you are holding it he/she should turn out a happy and friendly chick

. They usually have a attitude change when they get older and will want to be around you more but sometimes when they are by themselves for when there still a chick they will be flighty when there older

. If you do separate the chick put 1 or 2 in with it so it's not alone.

 

[princess layer]

Thanks! What worries me is that it's not just vicious - it seems to be behaving very repetitively, continually alternating between attacking its mother and diving under her feet. It's doing this virtually the whole time and I feel like it may be 'not quite right'...

 

[ArtGirl]

I think it's OK and I wouldn't worry about it too much but what I would be worried about is the Mom getting annoyed and killing it or accidentally steeping on the chick and braking a bone or the neck

.
As long as the Mom doesn't get made I think the baby is just being adventuress and playing with the hen. There is a lot of pics where the baby chicks are climbing all over the mama hen on the hens back, on the neck and even climbing over and onto the hens head

.