Confused by chick behavior

[redinator]

The RIRs aren't all bad. They're intelligent, for birdbrains, and mine were cooperative hunters, meaning they would work together to get what they needed, which included ambushing the human treat-bringer while the rest dove for the dropped treats.

They were also the biggest bullies, the most aggressive, and 3 (two straight RIR, one JGxRIR) hated chicks to the point of homicide. Three different groups, but the same behavior. This wasn't normal pecking order stuff. They would actively chase the chick into a blind corner, keeping the chick trapped there, and viciously attack. I saw one corner three chicks--they weren't even close to her, but she chased them down, herded them all into a corner, keeping them trapped with her wings. When one tried to get past her, she abandoned the other two and nearly killed the attempted escapee before I rescued it.

It makes sense that those tendencies would go unnoticed, the breeders accidentally reinforcing the hatred of chicks because breeding birds would never see a chick.

These were hatchery birds, so it's possible it's one group and not a general behavior. I did not keep these birds.

Good to know my RIRs weren't the only 'defective' ones. The reason I rehomed them was their behavior towards chicks during integration. I glady traded them with a friend who had Black Jersey Giants that were 'refusing to lay eggs'. My response was "I got some great egg layers, if you don't plan to raise chicks" now he's swimming eggs.

I figure since the broodiness has been breed out of them the maternal instincts went with it, anything smaller than them is a potential meal.

 

[Project Blue]

Did you ever see the original Jurassic Park? When the velociraptors are running on the grasslands? I saw the RIR chicks chasing a bird like that. Didn't catch it, but definitely cooperative hunting. They did it with mice, too. And while I see that as a positive for my project, it's less positive when three roosters gang up on a hen.

Speaking of runner ducks earlier, I had 3 drakes that would romantically attack any slow duck.. Even the geese would scream in indignation at them. I've since only kept more gentle runner ducks with great success, so I think bad behavior traits with different breeds can pop up and disappear quickly on a small scale breeding operation. That kind of smarts in a roo isn't something to breed for, but the mice thing maybe. My ameraucanas are not very predatory and I find rats in mice in the coop. One time I could hear baby rats squeaking but couldn't find them. Later when cleaning out a nest box I found the empty rat nest right under a metal plate right where the hens were laying their eggs. Very gross. RIR's maybe worth considering just for their mousing abilities.

 

[Susan Skylark]

I’ve got quail so I can have 4 generations a year, I’ve been brutal with behavioral culling, only had 4/17 original hens make it to a year anniversary due to zero bullying tolerance. Then I ordered some expensive eggs from one of the main breeders (original birds from shipped eggs too). They were completely nuts with no change in my brooder or chick management. My home flock was now calm, curious, and fairly decent to one another, but I had to separate a two week old chick for bullying with the new batch! I wanted some new males but they were so mean or flighty I only kept one bird out of 15, I even culled the single hen I kept back at 3 months for being mean. I lost 2 birds in 24 hours to head bonking (in a 12” high pen) and I’ve never lost any before or since, just nuts! So definitely a huge genetic influence on temperament, which is why bison and Holsteins (the quail of cows!) are not interchangeable!

 

[redinator]

The RIRs aren't all bad. They're intelligent, for birdbrains, and mine were cooperative hunters, meaning they would work together to get what they needed, which included ambushing the human treat-bringer while the rest dove for the dropped treats.

They were also the biggest bullies, the most aggressive, and 3 (two straight RIR, one JGxRIR) hated chicks to the point of homicide. Three different groups, but the same behavior. This wasn't normal pecking order stuff. They would actively chase the chick into a blind corner, keeping the chick trapped there, and viciously attack. I saw one corner three chicks--they weren't even close to her, but she chased them down, herded them all into a corner, keeping them trapped with her wings. When one tried to get past her, she abandoned the other two and nearly killed the attempted escapee before I rescued it.

It makes sense that those tendencies would go unnoticed, the breeders accidentally reinforcing the hatred of chicks because breeding birds would never see a chick.

These were hatchery birds, so it's possible it's one group and not a general behavior. I did not keep these birds.

I find it odd that you say "The RIRs aren't all bad" but follow with "ambushing the human treat-bringer" and "hated chicks to the point of homicide"

What do your chickens have to do to be considered 'bad'?

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

I keep reading posts about super tame lap chickens but figured they were getting handled daily from an early age. Has anyone else had this happen? Like I said I've been raising chickens for the last 20 years and nothing like this has happened.

Highly handled. When they were young is day olds to four months old. Were riding on shoulders, jumping up to places on command for treats, sleeping on me, cuddling up to me without me trying, etc. I spent around 6-8 hours with them on average daily. First two weeks, I think they actively hated how much attention they got, but they got used to annoying ol' me after that.

They got less lap-ish as they got older. I had them potty trained to never poop on a blanket at some point, but that's since gone away. Before lay they'd jump in your lap and stay there, after lay they jump in your lap out of curiosity and want to leave immediately after. However, they're much easier to pick up and come to me as soon as I squat (maybe they just want to peck the buttons on my jeans). I've explicitly trained them to never peck at hands or even think of it so the little kids' fingers are safe. Only time they will peck is when they don't actually know what they're pecking at; feeding grapes by hand at night is not a good idea.

I must note mine are all hens: Currently 8 total, barred rock/barred rock mixes and a single blue ameraucana. They have not been without fights, blood, and territory. It has settled down once all the puberty hormones also settled. Most of them have been integrated at a few months old, not raised as chicks by me, but only two of them did not immediately take to me/voluntarily enjoy my lap. Integration wasn't any easier. I am effectively the "rooster" they rely on.

One thing that never worked is the scare tactic, it made me have to regain trust (swatting, chasing, etc). One thing that did work is the spray bottle for some particularly bad behaviors and me physically breaking up fights. I do have the door crowding on a few days, but it is obvious they want something I do not give on the daily (grass access, cracked eggs). If they're happy and entertained, they do not door crowd.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I find it odd that you say "The RIRs aren't all bad" but follow with "ambushing the human treat-bringer" and "hated chicks to the point of homicide"

What do your chickens have to do to be considered 'bad'?

I just thought the ambush behavior was amusing. I trained them out of it relatively easily. They were good egg layers, relatively calm with their siblings, confidant, and good hunters and foragers.

I have a few behaviors that I will not tolerate--egg eating, abusive bullying, attacking me, killing chicks, and mating pullets when they're too young. Other than that I let the birds work it out.