Cuckoo Maran Chick pecking food from other chicks

[SaraMarie]

Hello Everyone,
I recently decided to add 6 new chicks to my flock. I am currently brooding them inside, away from my older girls. I have 2 Autralorps, 1 blue sapphire, 1 black sex-link and 2 cuckoo marans. The problem I'm having is that the smaller Cuckoo Maran is constantly trying to peck the food out of the beaks of the other chicks. I rarely see her trying to eat on her own and she is constantly pecking at the faces of the others trying to take the food from them. Has anyone else ever had a chick do this? Is is something I should try to do something about, or let the other girls teach her to have better manners.

 

[Coops Dad]

Yes, it's normal. There's always at least one that thinks whatever her sister is eating is way better than what's in the bowl. I have a silkie that steals food from the Cornish X's (they're the same age but the size disparity recently made me move the meaties to an outside brooder where they can eat grass and crumble feed).

Before that, it was one of the leghorn's bebes that was coveting thy hatch mate's dinner.

 

[Coops Dad]

Nothing you can do except separate the offender. Personally, I let them work it out. Greedy chick will eventually get full and the other chick can then eat her fill, or greedy chick will get clapped by the offended sister.