Chicks fighting

[Bobby_A]

I have three Rhode Island Red and Maran cross chicks. They're about three weeks old now and they're jumping around fighting each other. From what I've read on previous posts is that it's normal, because they're trying to establish a "pecking order" (correct me if I'm wrong), and that I shouldn't worry unless damage is done. So now my question is at what age will they stop fighting, and also do female chicks fight with male chicks or do females only fight with females and vice-versa?

 

[Chickenmaven]

Chickens fight - all of them. When someone gets bloody pull them out.

 

[peachlover]

Perfectly normal.

 

[Princess Lay-a]

I'm a newbie myself, but the behavior I have seen with mine (2-3weeks old) is the obvious roos are really getting after each other. No blood, but a lot of squabbling

and posturing. Ninja kicks

and chases.
The females tend to not be in the mix. My oldest is 8 weeks or so, he's a Polish. He will step in when the younger ones are acting up.

He's a good "king" and keeps the lesser knaves in line.

 

[gryeyes]

They ALL chest-bump and peck and shove and peep at each other at this stage. Once they get the pecking order established, it will be a whole lot less.

As they reach sexual maturity, ONE boy will rise to the top, above all the girls and boys. The rest of the boys will be at various levels, only ONE rooster gets to be the top of the pecking order if they all live together. Some hens will have higher status than the low-status boys.

 

[Bobby_A]

Thanks everyone for the quick answers, and for helping a newbie like me out!

 

[felidaet]

Make sure that your brooder is large enough. If they are squeezed in too tight they may have a tendency to fight. Also, what color of a heat lamp are you using? A red light is more calming to them than a white light.