Chick bloody toe - pecking by others

[CityCraft]

If this one BR turns out to be a rooster or I just have to remove it from my group - what do I do with it???

 

[CityCraft]

The shrieking one is less chicken, more deranged pterodactyl.

 

[Stewarts]

Don't throw in the towel quite yet. I hatched 23 chicks and most of them will be a week old on March 30th so I don't have this problem so much yet. But, I do have two turkey chicks in with them... One is large enough to fly a little so she's pretty big. No problems with pecking from her so far. My little turkey chick is the one that pecks - at my larger turkey chick; I think she is jealous that the larger one can fly...

My husband and I are newbies. My chicks do peck at each other from time to time. To counter this behavior and nip it in the bud, we have a large cardboard brooder that takes up a good quarter of our spare room and we can enlarge it if need be; the coup is 5 x 8 and almost finished. I'm finding the large brooder is preventing a lot of this nasty pecking behavior as they get older. They seem to start this 'picking on each other' pretty early if they are too cramped or just plain bored! Yesterday I went across the road and picked out a good sized branch of a tree, loped off the extra branches and blunted anything sticking out. My husband then secured in in the cardboard brooder by putting the ends through the cardboard. I have a wide 2 x 4 they hop up on and over; I carved out a good sized piece of grass from the back of the lawn, put it into a low bowl and put that in. All of which greatly attracts their attention as something to play with, I have two branches, one on the floor of the brooder and one a little higher, as my chicks are quite tiny yet. Just to make a little challenge for them. Not a week old yet and starting to feather out!!

I am also finding that if they are bored with their food, they will supplement it by pecking at each other. To that end, I give them treats that don't need grit. I make plain, unsweetened yogurt in my hova-bator overnight: 8 to 12 cups raw, whole milk, add 3 tbsp store bought plain, unsweetened yogurt, put into bator for 6 hours at a temperature of about 100F! They love the yogurt and it gives them bacteria they need. I had to make a chick feed slurry for one chick that wasn't eating and the rest love that too. Give them a special treat of egg yolks with a little egg white mixed in - they will re-invent football when you do this, they love it so much.

I try to stimulate them as much as I can and handle them a little more to make them calmer and more friendly. Maybe that is all this mean, pecker really needs. They can become jealous... and that one is obviously wanting attention. Hope this helps some and update as to what happens.

Stephanie

 

[Kilsharion]

Thanks, Nikki.

Popsicle, I've been using the big plastic storage tub provided by the feed store. But I'm wondering if they were outgrowing it. There are four of them, 4-5 weeks.

As of know things have calmed down a bit. I separated the two groups again. The other Comet doesn't seem interested in pecking the wound - she is a bit peckish but so far no intent pecking directly at the injured toe. The wound has closed over and isn't bleeding anymore.

The two groups seem much more calm in the separate tubs.

I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed that the wound will heal and we can finish up the coop in time to get them out there and have some new entertainment/distractions. My plan is to keep them separated until we move to the coop.

(BIG SIGH - this has definitely been a lesson in patience and humility)

I never keep my chicks in the brooder past four weeks. Lots of people freak out about that - but, it gets way too crowded and causes way too many issues when I do. In our part of the world, putting them outside with a heat lamp (extension cords don't cost that much - we have a 100' one that we run out to the coop) is much more conducive to happy birds. Especially using a brooder area as small as it sounds like yours is.

Also, it does not sound like you have pure BRs. Hatchery stock is often made up of mutts/crosses more than actual pure breeds. BRs are known for their sweet comportment. The damage on the foot is going to continue to draw their attention until it is totally healed. I would put the BRs out in the coop, now. I would keep the comets inside until that damaged foot is 100% healed. Any sign of damage and there is always the potential for pecking from the others. Even if it's just a scrape on the leg.

The one who's being noisy and a bully is not necessarily a cockerel. It could just be a bullying female. If she doesn't calm down after getting more space by going out to the coop, you would either need to separate her completely (her own coop) or cull her. Me, I'd cull her. Not worth the expense to keep one that's causing me trouble.

But, really, it sounds like a space/over-crowding issue exacerbated by blood on a chick. They peck at red, orange and brown - my freckles get examined every time I'm out with them. Wounds in the pen that are exposed are just asking for more damage to be done by the rest of the flock. Sad to say, that's the nature of the beast. Either cover it with blue kote as someone suggested, or separate the hurt one. Personally, I'd separate her until she's totally healed, given the amount of damage she's been submitted to. Then, when I put her back in with the others, I'd pull two of the others out for a day or two to shake up the pecking order and make the transition a bit easier.

 

[CityCraft]

Thank you Stephanie! I'm going to keep them separated for now until I can figure out a better situation. The one BR seemed much happier to be alone and away from the meanie.

 

[Stewarts]

You are most welcome.

 

[Cockle-Dood]

My Br's, 3 of them, are just over 5 weeks old now and all are sweet as can be! do you let them outside at all? since mine hit 4 weeks, i have been giving them about an hour or so in the yard in one of our XL wire dog crates. it gives them something different and compensates for the alck of space that they are getting in the brooder! have a gorw out pen started that im hoping to finish either this evening or tomorrow and they will be headed out to greener pastures, yet still fully confined until they are big enough to go to the free-range set up. its something simple and ill post a pic for ya when its done!

but some outside time may do wonders if its not something you do already...

 

[PSJ]

I would definitely keep them separated until she fully heals. As others suggested, you may want to give them some outside time. just like kids, you keep em cooped up too long, and they're gonna start fighting. As for the mean one, I wouldnt call it a roo yet. Im not sure if they are too young, but I've had some start the "pecking order" thing pretty early. That may be her problem.

 

[CityCraft]

You guys rock. Thank you so much to all that responded with suggestions.

I really appreciate the feedback about moving them out at 4 weeks. It's definitely time. We're really close to finishing the coop and putting them out.

For now, things are okay.

I am so thankful for this website! What a great community of passionate and helpful people

 

[Cockle-Dood]