Chick on chick aggression

[StardustChicken]

I recently started raising chicks. I bought a dark cornish rock and a silkie bantam, both straight runs and inseparable since I first got them.

Today I decided to introduce a new chick to the mix, a rhode island red pullet. All 3 chicks are practically the same age (2.5-3 weeks), maybe a 2 or 3 day difference between them if any.

Ignorantly I placed the pullet in with the two chicks and within a couple of seconds she was attacked by the cornish. She was pecked on the head, rear, and jumped on. I quickly separated them and put up a little divider between them. Afterwards the cornish occasionally runs back and forth by the net, seemingly frustrated.

Is there anything more I can do for them or will it just take time for her to be accepted?

Update: I changed to a red light and added another chick with the rhode island red and they're doing great together

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Chickens can be little velociraptors at times. Introducing one bird is the toughest thing to do also. If possible, add another (few) chicks, and have that divider for a few days before removing it.
You could bring them all together in a new place, as when they are in the coop. Soon, if possible. With a heat source and no older birds, now would work fine for them.
Having only a red light on at the time may help too, so it's not bright in there.
I've added chicks together with no issues, but never two birds and only one new one.
Mary

 

[StardustChicken]

Welcome!
Chickens can be little velociraptors at times. Introducing one bird is the toughest thing to do also. If possible, add another (few) chicks, and have that divider for a few days before removing it.
You could bring them all together in a new place, as when they are in the coop. Soon, if possible. With a heat source and no older birds, now would work fine for them.
Having only a red light on at the time may help too, so it's not bright in there.
I've added chicks together with no issues, but never two birds and only one new one.
Mary

Ah, thanks for the advice! I'll definitely go and pick up one or two of the pullet's clutchmates

 

[rosemarythyme]

With chicks I've added single newbies to existing chicks without any issue, but some chicks are much more aggressive than others. Using a divider for the time being is probably the safest thing to do for now - once they get used to seeing each other, you can try letting them have contact again and see how that goes.

I agree that another ideal time to try letting them have contact is on coop move-in day, as a huge distraction like that will help shake up any sort of baby pecking order they might have.

 

[Kajoda929]

I added five chicks to my makeshift brooder(very large aquarium) and none of mine had been aggressive, but one of the five decided to start picking fights with everyone! It started with her sister(two had been the same age, three younger, but the same breed from the same person), then she just started going after all of them! I separated her out for a full day, gave her some attention, introduced her to my German Shepherd and my cat, then figured since she had calmed down, maybe we could try again...Nope. Not even 20 seconds after I had put her in, she started up again! I don't have a way to separate the bigger tank, so she's in a separate one in front of the rest, but I'm not sure how to fix this either...This thread was the closest to my chick aggression dilemma, so I hope no one gets upset for me hijacking the thread...Just hoping someone may have ideas...

 

[centrarchid]

When home team is being problematic, I move entire lot to another brooder or jumble things around so current brooder looks different. Feeder, waterer, and heat source and brooder can be rotated 90 degrees. When not in a home location, aggression drops of immediately. Yesterday I introduced two 3-week old chicks in in with a single 10-day old chick. Latter was aggressor for a very short bit of time.

 

[Kajoda929]

When home team is being problematic, I move entire lot to another brooder or jumble things around so current brooder looks different. Feeder, waterer, and heat source and brooder can be rotated 90 degrees. When not in a home location, aggression drops of immediately. Yesterday I introduced two 3-week old chicks in in with a single 10-day old chick. Latter was aggressor for a very short bit of time.

I actually moved all to the larger brooder when I introduced the new ones for mine...It was new for all involved, but that one chick is the only one that seems to be aggressive

 

[centrarchid]

Can you post a video of what the aggressive chick is doing?

 

[Kajoda929]

Can you post a video of what the aggressive chick is doing?

I will this evening...I currently have her isolated, but I'm confused as to why she's the only one doing it...She is Ayam Cemani, which are often a bit more flighty, but not necessarily more aggressive to my knowledge, especially as chicks...

 

[StardustChicken]

I will this evening...I currently have her isolated, but I'm confused as to why she's the only one doing it...She is Ayam Cemani, which are often a bit more flighty, but not necessarily more aggressive to my knowledge, especially as chicks...

Hm... about how big is your brooder exactly and how many chicks do you have in total, if you don't mind me asking?