Chicks fighting

[Threewyandottes]

Hello,
Is it normal for 2 week old chicks to throw themselves at each other?
I just noticed the chicks running like crazy and jumping on each other.

Thanks

 

[Cyprus]

Mine do this. I'd consider it normal

 

[Threewyandottes]

Thanks

 

[Keeperoflock]

At this age they are beginning to establish their pecking order. This is a natural thing but just keep an eye on them for injuries. This stage may or may not take some time.

 

[Jetblack2004]

Yep, it's normal. As @Keeperoflock said, they are starting to establish their own pecking order. At 2 weeks old they are unlikely to hurt each other. My chicks do the whole 'fighting' thing lot.

 

[Blooie]

Are they in an indoor brooder of some sort? How big is it? Everyone is probably right about establishing a pecking order, but they may well be just bored silly. Just in case you are brooding in a typical brooder box, here are a couple of suggestions.

They know there's a big world out there, and they are tired of constant heat and light and seeing the walls of a box. All they have to burn off their excess energy is each other. You could try putting some distractions in there...... large marbles make for a fun game of chick-soccer once they get over being afraid of them! They're shiny and when they peck at them, they move! Wow! You can also get a large clump of sod from your garden -roots, weeds, grasses, little bugs and all. Just dig it up with a shovel and put it in the brooder, grass side down. They'll be terrified at first. There's a big alien in there and it's going to eat them alive. But then one or two will go over and start to peck at it, and before you know it they're pecking, scratching, flying up on top of it, and playing King of the Mountain. This has other benefits. It exposes them to the microbes and fungi that will naturally be present in the ground they're going to be living on, they pick out little bits of chick-sized grit, a lucky one might find an earthworm, they learn to forage, and as it breaks down they love to dust bathe in the dirt. I usually do this when mine are just a couple of days old, even though I raise them outside in a wire brooder within the run.

If they were being raised out in the coop by a broody hen, they'd have been out running around their big world, exploring and learning to be chickens at just a couple of days old, regardless of the temperatures out there. If they want to warm up, they go find her and tuck under for a few minutes, then they're right back out there going at full tilt. They're dust bathing, finding little tidbits to nibble on, digging, scratching, eating dirt, and they're just too busy to be be bored. At night they scrootch under her when the sun goes down and sleep all night through. When the sun comes up, they pop out, grab a bite of breakfast and a drink of water, and they're back at it.

Good luck with your energetic little bunch! And welcome to BYC!

 

[Theladiesandagentleman]

Give them some distractions. A mirror on the wall. Different levels to hop and roost on. Create a dust bath. I have all of these in my brooder, along with lots of interaction and playtime and they are in a harmonious stage right now. And yet they seem to have established a pecking order without too much fighting.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Very normal

 

[centrarchid]

Hello,
Is it normal for 2 week old chicks to throw themselves at each other?
I just noticed the chicks running like crazy and jumping on each other.

Thanks

It depends very much on the amount of aggression involved. Your description is too vague to make call. Me ears a re peaked when the chicks make a particalur set of sounds while fighting. If fighting is sustained, then you have a problem. Some chickens I have are very prone to fighting at a little over two weeks that can result in actual deaths if corrective action is not taken.

Are they still doing it? If yet, then move them to a larger pen and increase protein level in diet and make pen environment more complex. Another trick I also employ is to add a another much larger chicken to the mix which is more often than not a male. Care taken to make certain the larger bird does nor cause trouble in his own right. If male is adult, seldom are troubles realized.

 

[Threewyandottes]

For distractions(different levels), do you think twigs would work?