Chicken bully

[8chicitita8]

I have noticed feather plucking in chicks. What can I do to avoid it. ( I caught the motherhen picking at the blood staind area but I'm not sure if that she initiated it or just curious about the stain)

I also have a chick ( hatched on jan 9) that "bites" and doesn't let go till she rips the feathers. She only does this to two chicks ( they were hatched 24 dec) what can I do to stop it.

 

[nuthatched]

Separate the biting chick on put blue kote or blue food coloring on the wounds so they don't get picked worse by mother.

 

[8chicitita8]

When I posted this I separated the hen from the chicks thinking it was her ripping the feathers that were growing in on the chicks. I checked on then a while ago and it's still happening.


The chick that I see biting only attacks the older two ( I will separate ) I haven't seen her attack the rest but they have feathers ripped out including her ( she's the black one in the picture)

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Sometimes chicks can be bullies and sometimes environmental issues can cause distress which results in feather picking (usually the case if you have multiple bullies). To rule out environment issues:

-How big is your set up and how many chicks total are in it?

-What is your heat source? If a heat lamp how close is it to the brooder and do they have space to get out of the heat?

-What % protein is their feed and are you feeding any extras?

 

[8chicitita8]

Sometimes chicks can be bullies and sometimes environmental issues can cause distress which results in feather picking (usually the case if you have multiple bullies). To rule out environment issues:

-How big is your set up and how many chicks total are in it?

-What is your heat source? If a heat lamp how close is it to the brooder and do they have space to get out of the heat?

-What % protein is their feed and are you feeding any extras?

Sorry I'm responding late. But the issue resolved itself now that their feathers are fully coming in. I believe it was just their curiosity in seeing the budding feathers for the first time.
1. 9 chicks and 1 hen
2. I live in a ranch so the yard is quite big
3. I don't have a heater where I live it get really hot and have to once in a while cool them down. They also have where to cool off on their own
4. Where I live we usually give them starter feed when young then if you can regular feed and corn. But I also try to give them veggies and some fruit plus I let them roam around and they fees on bugs, plants etc.
I'm just kinda paranoid Because these are my first chicken to care of in my own