Chick behavioral problems please help

[starlitchicken]

My 2 almost 3 week old leghorn chicks like to peck faces of other chicks. I try to correct them, but it’s getting to be a more often occurrence. How do I curb that habit ? I worry about them missing and pecking the chick in the eye. Also the leghorn chicks tend to attack the feet of other chicks thinking they are worms. Would giving them actual worms curb the behavior or make it worse ?

 

[dbounds10]

My 2 almost 3 week old leghorn chicks like to peck faces of other chicks. I try to correct them, but it’s getting to be a more often occurrence. How do I curb that habit ? I worry about them missing and pecking the chick in the eye. Also the leghorn chicks tend to attack the feet of other chicks thinking they are worms. Would giving them actual worms curb the behavior or make it worse ?

Are they is a brooder that could be to small? If they do t have enough space they can start pecking at each other.

 

[TwoCrows]

Make sure they have 1 square ft per chick in the brooder. They get bored in the brooder and naturally go after eyes, toes, feathers, etc... Make sure they aren't too warm, chicks lash out when too warm. At 3 weeks, they should be around 78 degrees. Give them something to do. I like to cut down a cereal box and put in some chick starter, dried leaves, alfalfa leaves, a sprinkle of sand and they can entertain themselves for hours. This burns energy.

Put in a roost bar and or branches from a tree, gives them things to climb on.

Take them on field trips to the coop and or outside in a fenced off area. This gets them used to the coop and burns off excess energy.

Good luck!

 

[starlitchicken]

Are they is a brooder that could be to small? If they do t have enough space they can start pecking at each other.

I have a huge stock tank as their brooder.

 

[starlitchicken]

Make sure they have 1 square ft per chick in the brooder. They get bored in the brooder and naturally go after eyes, toes, feathers, etc... Make sure they aren't too warm, chicks lash out when too warm. At 3 weeks, they should be around 78 degrees. Give them something to do. I like to cut down a cereal box and put in some chick starter, dried leaves, alfalfa leaves, a sprinkle of sand and they can entertain themselves for hours. This burns energy.
View attachment 3493072

Put in a roost bar and or branches from a tree, gives them things to climb on.
View attachment 3493075

Take them on field trips to the coop and or outside in a fenced off area. This gets them used to the coop and burns off excess energy.

Good luck!

Thank you so much. I think my chicks may be bored and too warm. I’ll try your suggestions.

 

[TwoCrows]

Thank you so much. I think my chicks may be bored and too warm. I’ll try your suggestions.

Keep us posted and enjoy your chicks!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have a huge stock tank as their brooder.

How many total in that set up?

Looking at it if you are still using the heat lamp they have nowhere to get away from the heat.

I think they need more room, more ventilation and field trips outside.

 

[starlitchicken]

How many total in that set up?

Looking at it if you are still using the heat lamp they have nowhere to get away from the heat.

I think they need more room, more ventilation and field trips outside.

Thank you. I think they may have been too warm as quite a few are starting to grow feathers. After your gentle observation, I’ve started weaning them off the heat lamp during the day. After I find some sort of pen, I plan to take them out of their stock tank for a “field trip” to burn some energy. They will be about 3 weeks old at that time.

 

[starlitchicken]

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Make sure they have 1 square ft per chick in the brooder. They get bored in the brooder and naturally go after eyes, toes, feathers, etc... Make sure they aren't too warm, chicks lash out when too warm. At 3 weeks, they should be around 78 degrees. Give them something to do. I like to cut down a cereal box and put in some chick starter, dried leaves, alfalfa leaves, a sprinkle of sand and they can entertain themselves for hours. This burns energy.
View attachment 3493072

Put in a roost bar and or branches from a tree, gives them things to climb on.
View attachment 3493075

Take them on field trips to the coop and or outside in a fenced off area. This gets them used to the coop and burns off excess energy.

Good luck!

Hijacking this thread- mine aren’t 3 weeks yet but 2 are close. They’re all in a brooder in my garage. It’s Florida so it’s high 80s in there during the day. When they move out to the coop/pen it’ll be even hotter once summer really moves in. Will they always just be hot?