SplashyDashyChicksHatchi
In the Brooder
- Apr 12, 2018
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The 4 chicks that my family owns include 2 very young (1-1.5 weeks) and 2 older chicks(2-4?). The older chicks have almost all of their feathers but are still very small. I have been noticing the two 'fighting' with each other on occasions. This would include running up to the other bird with their breast out and head back. The smaller of the two older chicks is usually the one that does this. Then the older one would stick their head out and advance, the smaller retreating and all going back to normal.
For the sake of convenience, let's call them Goldie(smaller) and Blackie(Larger).
The pair will sleep, eat, and drink side by side. I have not noticed any pecking or scratching so I was wondering if this is being territorial? They have a waterer and feeder which are in the form of the upturned-bottle feeders. They will both flap up on top of these(so I have made a small perch to prevent tipping of the bottles). If one is down and the other is up, the one that is down will look at the one that is up. What usually ensues in the 'up' one flying down and landing on top of the 'down' one, followed by a large, panic-inducing squawk.
I am worried that they are being territorial but my mother thinks that they are crowded. If so, what can I do to prevent possible injury? Goldie and Blackie stay separate from the two younger chicks since they are too little and may be squashed or injured. The older chicks stay in a rabbit cage covered by a blanket, while the younger stay in a storage bin without the lid on(since we don't have fancy brooders).
Our Tractor Supply has a minimum of 4 so getting another to keep Blackie company(while putting Goldie, who is smaller, along with the younger chicks) is not an option. Blackie is still too little to go out in the cold with the 4 (5-7? week) other chicks because she does not have all of her feathers and is too little. If we put a see-through divider in the cage, the chicks could fly out(older).
Does anybody have any suggestions or ideas to help? Thanks!
For the sake of convenience, let's call them Goldie(smaller) and Blackie(Larger).
The pair will sleep, eat, and drink side by side. I have not noticed any pecking or scratching so I was wondering if this is being territorial? They have a waterer and feeder which are in the form of the upturned-bottle feeders. They will both flap up on top of these(so I have made a small perch to prevent tipping of the bottles). If one is down and the other is up, the one that is down will look at the one that is up. What usually ensues in the 'up' one flying down and landing on top of the 'down' one, followed by a large, panic-inducing squawk.
I am worried that they are being territorial but my mother thinks that they are crowded. If so, what can I do to prevent possible injury? Goldie and Blackie stay separate from the two younger chicks since they are too little and may be squashed or injured. The older chicks stay in a rabbit cage covered by a blanket, while the younger stay in a storage bin without the lid on(since we don't have fancy brooders).
Our Tractor Supply has a minimum of 4 so getting another to keep Blackie company(while putting Goldie, who is smaller, along with the younger chicks) is not an option. Blackie is still too little to go out in the cold with the 4 (5-7? week) other chicks because she does not have all of her feathers and is too little. If we put a see-through divider in the cage, the chicks could fly out(older).
Does anybody have any suggestions or ideas to help? Thanks!