Chicks pecking ferociously at another...

[ZaneyMama]

I checked on my chicks after being gone a couple of hours and they had somehow spilled a lot of water around their water bowl. One was wet and huddled in the corner and two others were standing on it and pecking at it as if it were food! I swear they were trying to eat it.

Thankfully, I dried her off and fixed the water situation and everything appears to be back to normal.

Is this normal or do I have killer chicks?

Sarah

 

[SillyChicken]

Not an expert... but what kind of light do you have?

I'd take the chick out and isolate him, there may be something wrong with him that the chicks sense.

 

[bigdawg]

use a red bulb for heat. white light causes them to pick one another

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Also make sure that they are not to warm and can get away from the heat. Chicks kept too warm can cause them to become aggressive toward each other.

 

[ZaneyMama]

Thanks for the input. I have a red heat lamp above their box. The temp fluctuates between 98 and 85 depending on the time of day, and they SEEM to be doing fine to this complete novice... The little Easter Egger that was being pecked is doing fine and they haven't been picking on her.

I think the box may be slightly too small for all 8 of them. I'll move them to a new bigger rubbermaid container tomorrow morning so they can practice flying and have a little perch (they're turning 1 week old!).

Thanks!
Sarah