- Jul 19, 2012
- 26
- 3
- 24
I incubated 32 eggs of mixed breeds and ended up with a staggered hatch of 19 chicks (they were mostly shipped eggs). One looks like it isn't going to make it, head still tucked under wing and eyes not open, the rest seem healthy.
I had a lot of chicks hatch Sunday night/Monday morning, and I moved them to the brooder once they were all fluffy and dry late last night (Monday). They are all Light Brahmas and cornish/rock crosses, so all yellow. I had 5 more chicks hatch after I moved the "yellows" to the brooder, 2 barred rocks, 2 easter eggers, and one cornish/rock. The barred rocks hatched yesterday at this time so I just moved them to the brooder... all the chicks ganged up on the 2 little black chicks and were pecking them all over! Especially their little beaks and faces
. I gave them 10 minutes to sort it out, which was really hard to watch, but they didn't stop. There seemed to be just enough of them for some of the "yellows" to rest while some picked on the black chicks and then they switched out. Ugh! What do I do? I dipped the beaks of the black chicks back in the water and then put them back in the incubator with the other chicks they were in there with. One ran right up and pecked its beak, but then left it alone.
They can't stay in the incubator forever, and I really don't want to brood them separately, although I suppose I could.
The two black chicks have black dots on their beaks and the yellow chicks were mostly going for that, although they were grabbing feet and wings too. Jerks. They are only a day or so apart, so I really didn't think they would do this. They have lots of chick crumbles scattered along the floor, are being brooded with a red lamp on paper towels, and have fresh water. They seem very happy, just quiet little chirps now and then and happy eating/drinking/sleeping behavior. I gave them a big black twisty to try to distract them, but it only distracted 2 out of the 13, and for not very long.
Help?
I had a lot of chicks hatch Sunday night/Monday morning, and I moved them to the brooder once they were all fluffy and dry late last night (Monday). They are all Light Brahmas and cornish/rock crosses, so all yellow. I had 5 more chicks hatch after I moved the "yellows" to the brooder, 2 barred rocks, 2 easter eggers, and one cornish/rock. The barred rocks hatched yesterday at this time so I just moved them to the brooder... all the chicks ganged up on the 2 little black chicks and were pecking them all over! Especially their little beaks and faces
. I gave them 10 minutes to sort it out, which was really hard to watch, but they didn't stop. There seemed to be just enough of them for some of the "yellows" to rest while some picked on the black chicks and then they switched out. Ugh! What do I do? I dipped the beaks of the black chicks back in the water and then put them back in the incubator with the other chicks they were in there with. One ran right up and pecked its beak, but then left it alone. They can't stay in the incubator forever, and I really don't want to brood them separately, although I suppose I could.
The two black chicks have black dots on their beaks and the yellow chicks were mostly going for that, although they were grabbing feet and wings too. Jerks. They are only a day or so apart, so I really didn't think they would do this. They have lots of chick crumbles scattered along the floor, are being brooded with a red lamp on paper towels, and have fresh water. They seem very happy, just quiet little chirps now and then and happy eating/drinking/sleeping behavior. I gave them a big black twisty to try to distract them, but it only distracted 2 out of the 13, and for not very long.
Help?
