D’uccle chick is a bully!

[Sivory]

Hi,
A few weeks ago, I purchased a Belgian D’uccle and a Silkie chick. Both are now 4-5 weeks old. And recently I hatched 4 Pekin babies who are now 2 weeks old.
I also have a Silkie hen, Pekin hen and a leghorn x isa red rooster.
This little Belgian D’uccle is the biggest, meanest bully in a tiny little parcel. She is super quiet with me and the Silkie I initially had her with, although she does square up to that little one occasionally.
She incessantly picks on the babies, and today she had a proper chop at the rooster (she comes up to his knees), the big Silkie hen is scared of her and my Pekin hen put her in her place. .

is this normal for a D’uccle? Could she be a rooster? She looks awfully like a pullet but is acting very aggressively. She fluffs up the feathers on her kneck and runs at them and pecks them.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi,
A few weeks ago, I purchased a Belgian D’uccle and a Silkie chick. Both are now 4-5 weeks old. And recently I hatched 4 Pekin babies who are now 2 weeks old.
I also have a Silkie hen, Pekin hen and a leghorn x isa red rooster.
This little Belgian D’uccle is the biggest, meanest bully in a tiny little parcel. She is super quiet with me and the Silkie I initially had her with, although she does square up to that little one occasionally.
She incessantly picks on the babies, and today she had a proper chop at the rooster (she comes up to his knees), the big Silkie hen is scared of her and my Pekin hen put her in her place. .

is this normal for a D’uccle? Could she be a rooster? She looks awfully like a pullet but is acting very aggressively. She fluffs up the feathers on her kneck and runs at them and pecks them.

My little d'Uccle pullet ranks up pretty far in the pecking order and she lives with a trio of Sebrights and 19 LF chickens of different breeds.
How much space do you have in the brooder? If she has access to the adults, where is the heat source for the chicks that still need it? Can you post pictures of your setup?
Basically, if there is a copious amount of space and lots of things in the space, everyone should be able to tolerate the little tyrant.

 

[Ridgerunner]

is this normal for a D’uccle?

You read about size on here all the time when it comes to integration. You are seeing how much size matters, not much if any at all. It's the attitude that counts. I feel the same way about breed. I believe the personality of the individual is much more important than breed. That behavior could be normal for any breed of chick.

Could she be a rooster? She looks awfully like a pullet but is acting very aggressively. She fluffs up the feathers on her kneck and runs at them and pecks them.

That chick should be getting close to old enough that if you post a close-up photo of the head to show any comb or wattles and a different photo showing the legs, posture and body shape we might be able to guess boy or girl. At that age those actions could be either, boy or girl.

You have three weeks difference in the age of some of the chicks. Some people don't have any trouble with that. Some do. I once had a two week old chick kill it's sibling, pecked it on the head until it killed it. Same age, hatched together, and being raised by a broody hen. Then it started on another sibling when I finally saw what was going on. Both were barnyard mutts, no breed differences. For some chickens I do think age/maturity differences can make a difference in behaviors, but for many others not so much. To me it is mostly the personality of the individual.

To me the question is how dangerous is that behavior. Even if I were there looking at it I'd have trouble knowing. I'd watch for injury of course. If I saw that chick just standing over the Silkie or a younger chick and pecking away at the head I'd consider that a huge red flag, do something now. From what you describe seeing I'd probably just let them interact.

For that 2-week-old assassin, I isolated it from the broody and its siblings for a day. It kept up a horrible noise all day letting the world know how miserable it was. I put it back with the broody that night. It did not kill any more siblings. Separation doesn't always work for me but sometimes it does. That was a boy for what that is worth.

 

[Sivory]

Thanks for all your replies.
I introduced her to the big chooks yesterday while I had the babies outside just having a peck in the sun, the big ones live outside and the babies live in the laundry under heat.
I really thought she was a pullet but I’ll take some photos and post them, I’ve never had a D’uccle before but have heard they are lovely and sweet

 

[Sivory]

Here are two photos of her
Thanks again for all of your help

 

[Sivory]

You read about size on here all the time when it comes to integration. You are seeing how much size matters, not much if any at all. It's the attitude that counts. I feel the same way about breed. I believe the personality of the individual is much more important than breed. That behavior could be normal for any breed of chick.


That chick should be getting close to old enough that if you post a close-up photo of the head to show any comb or wattles and a different photo showing the legs, posture and body shape we might be able to guess boy or girl. At that age those actions could be either, boy or girl.

You have three weeks difference in the age of some of the chicks. Some people don't have any trouble with that. Some do. I once had a two week old chick kill it's sibling, pecked it on the head until it killed it. Same age, hatched together, and being raised by a broody hen. Then it started on another sibling when I finally saw what was going on. Both were barnyard mutts, no breed differences. For some chickens I do think age/maturity differences can make a difference in behaviors, but for many others not so much. To me it is mostly the personality of the individual.

To me the question is how dangerous is that behavior. Even if I were there looking at it I'd have trouble knowing. I'd watch for injury of course. If I saw that chick just standing over the Silkie or a younger chick and pecking away at the head I'd consider that a huge red flag, do something now. From what you describe seeing I'd probably just let them interact.

For that 2-week-old assassin, I isolated it from the broody and its siblings for a day. It kept up a horrible noise all day letting the world know how miserable it was. I put it back with the broody that night. It did not kill any more siblings. Separation doesn't always work for me but sometimes it does. That was a boy for what that is worth.

Hi,
Here are two photos, what is your opinion on sex?
Thanks again

 

[Sivory]

My little d'Uccle pullet ranks up pretty far in the pecking order and she lives with a trio of Sebrights and 19 LF chickens of different breeds.
How much space do you have in the brooder? If she has access to the adults, where is the heat source for the chicks that still need it? Can you post pictures of your setup?
Basically, if there is a copious amount of space and lots of things in the space, everyone should be able to tolerate the little tyrant.

Hi,
I only introduced the big chooks to her yesterday briefly while the babies were outside having a peck in the sun, usually I keep the babies all inside under a heat lamp until they are fully feathered, and to be honest, probably a little longer just to be sure they’ll be warm enough outside.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Still too early to be sure but that comb look pretty red, I think I see the start of wattles, an the legs look kind of heavy. I think it is a boy.

 

[roheryn]

My guess is roo.I have a pair of d’uccle and the roo was evident nearly immediately. At week 3 his comb was larger and red, now at week 5 you can’t mistake the difference! My little girl, the meekest, must timid one of the bunch has suddenly become the bully. We introduced them to the yard yesterday and she started plucking feathers... our little Silkie more than the others . I pulled her out, kept her separate for about an our while she howled. I’m hoping it’s just a change of scenery causing the behavior. Ugh. Tiny does not mean submissive!