chicks pecking one chick

[bethanyms]

Hi everyone, I just noticed tonight that one of our baby chicks is being pecked incessantly by the other chicks, and I don't know why or what to do about it. They will be three weeks old tomorrow, three silver laced wyandottes and three Rhode Island reds. The chick being pecked is a Rhode Island red, if that matters. She just keeps burrowing down into the bedding and all the other chicks come over and peck at her...I've removed her from their container and put her in a bin, but I don't have another heat lamp to keep on her, and I'm not sure which is worse; the temp or the mean chicks.

Anyone have any ideas? They're currently in a crib I converted to a brooder, we're using the brinsea heat lamp, not sure if there's any other relevant info?

Thanks!

 

[nuthatched]

Seperate her away behind mesh

 

[ChickNanny13]

What does the chick do when the others peck at it? Is it only when it's burrowed in the bedding? Very possible they're curious and pecking at the bedding to check out why the chick's burrowed in. Very possible the chick is "bathing" in the bedding ... Are they pecking at the chick or the bedding?

You could use an incandescent (40watt) bulb in a lamp for heat or even a heating pad. It's more likely they're curious and not trying to hurt it. IF they are constantly harassing that one chick, it's best to let them work it out.

 

[bethanyms]

The chick doesn't really do anything, and yes it is only when it's been burrowing. I'll have to look into what "bathing" is for chicks, that's a new one for me! It does seem that they only pick when there is bedding on top of the chick.

 

[YellowRoseFarm]

Chicks will practice dust bathing in whatever they have at their disposal. So, if you happen to catch her on her side flailing about, she's trying to dust bathe.

I had one chick that kept pecking at the other chicks' beaks. It turned out she was just so curious about what they were eating (spoiler alert: the same thing as her!) and she was pecking at the little crumbles on their messy faces. She outgrew it in about a week.

 

[DavidReaves]

Chicks will practice dust bathing in whatever they have at their disposal. So, if you happen to catch her on her side flailing about, she's trying to dust bathe.

I had one chick that kept pecking at the other chicks' beaks. It turned out she was just so curious about what they were eating (spoiler alert: the same thing as her!) and she was pecking at the little crumbles on their messy faces. She outgrew it in about a week.

I've observed the pecking at beaks in my "flock" of 15 2-week old chicks. I guess they figure whatever the other chicks are eating MUST be better than what they are getting!