chicks pecking new chicks

[ThePrissyHen]

My first chicks hatched yesterday and I have some hatching late. The chicks from yesterday are aggressively ganging up on and pulling and pecking the 2 new introductions. Is this normal? Or is there something I should be doing, I am still expecting more chicks to hatch and am afraid to put them in with the others. I am new to this!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Check your heat. 95 degrees is normal lowered by 5 degrees per week. I say this because picking can be a result of too hot of a brooder box.
Also over crowding, and too low of a portien feed.
Make sure the heat is right, and if it is, try to add some grass to the brooder. This will often take the bullies attention off the new comers and let them get adjusted to the brooder.
And if all else fails, you just have to seperate the little buggers!
Correct heat, space and grass usually does the trick though.
Aubrey

 

[ThePrissyHen]

Thank you so much, I will check temp and try the grass thing. I am feeding the chick starter feed and they have been eating, I am assuming that would give them enough protien. Going to check temp now!

 

[Chicken Woman]

I had 6 hatch and 2 days later one hatched. They did the same thing. I put a wire divider in my brooder (plastic tub) and put one chick in one side with the new one and the rest on the other side so they could see each other and visit through wire. After 2 days I put them all together and now there fine.

 

[CarriBrown]

Quote:
That's what I was going to suggest (but still check your temps and make sure they are not subject to crowding first). If you separate the naughty one, that will give the others a chance to establish a new pecking order. When you put them back together, hopefully the naughty one will be at the bottom!

 

[ThePrissyHen]

Temp.'s good! They seems to have plenty of space, in a rabbit cage! They just pick at the grass right now, they seemed ok with one of them for awhile and then started attacking again, so I seperated and one of the peeps just passed away I think I may try to seperate the one and any more newbies for awhile! Thanks

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

hate to hear that.
The other post was right though, if possible, remove the bad guys for a while, let the good ones settle in, then re add the mean one. Usually, this will have knocked him off the top of the pecking order.
They are funny that way.
I have taken adult roos out of a multi roo pen before that were mean. Replaced them right away, then they were the ones getting beat up. Dont always work that easily, but cant hurt.

What breed are they by the way?
Aubrey

 

[wings]

Everyone's ideas seem great. I think a red bulb might help a little bit, if you don't have one already.

 

[CarriBrown]

Quote:
Whoops. Forgot about the red light. Great idea!