chicks pecking each other!!

[Dang Chick]

My chicks are just getting tail feathers and they have begun to peck at each other's tail feathers!! 2 are bleeding, so I separated them, so that the others would leave them alone. Other than that, they seem very healthy and frisky. I don't see mites or anything, is this normal behavior?? These are my first chicks to raise.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds as though they need more room to run around. Are they still in a brooder. Just make sure they have at least 20% protein and very little treats, plenty of room, and some things to climb on and explore. A big piece of sod, a rock or brick, a low practice roost are some things to use. A red brooder light or a small wattage red lightbulb are good to keep them from picking. BluKote is an antiseptic coloring agent to put on any red areas that they might be tempted to peck.

 

[cafarmgirl]

X2. How big is your brooder and how many chicks are in there? Get them into as much space as you can with things to occupy them. Chickens like to be busy. If you have a pen outside where they could spend some time each day would be best and get them moved into their coop asap. You don't want this to turn into a nasty habit.

 

[Dang Chick]

Thanks for the help, we got some Blu Kote and doctored them up, then made a much bigger brooder pen for them ( Actually we divided them in half and put half in one pen and half in the other, the pens are old steel horse watering troughs - round and 8 feet across, with wire tops, and we put tree branches for them to perch on, some sand for scratching around - and they instantly started 'bathing' in it!! It was soooo cute!! Some pine shavings, a little hay for extra warmth, a couple of rocks, and made sure the red lights come on at dusk, and the clear one during daylight, although they do have partial sunlight also. Their coop should be finished in a few days, they will be able to go inside and outside into a safe courtyard, and the coop is 12 x 12 with plenty of roosts and boxes. They seem a lot more content with something to do other than pester each other, and a lot more room! Thanks again for the help!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Sounds like a good setup and hopefully you will have solved your problem. Busy chicks are happy chicks!