Evil Aggressive chicks

[denasfarm]

I read an article about crossing game blood into my egg hens to make a sturdier more liveable bird for living in the woods. Since we have moved onto some heavily wooded property. I crossed an American Game roo with my assorted hens...Barred Rocks, RIR, EE, BCMarans, ee/Polish, and EE Marans.
The 14 chicks are two weeks old and trying to kill each other, bringing blood and have the hen chicks hiding in the corners.
I seperated the worse two roo chicks into isolation...both 1/2 Marans and turned off the light tonight so they can rest.
Would beak trimming help? I cant keep them all seperated forever...I am afraid the next aggressive one will now step up and be the bully.
They even run at and bite ME! This is ridiculous! They are Two weeks old for heavens sake!
I have hatched pure Games that didnt act like this!
Should I put them down? I wouldnt want to sell the evil things...
Help...Ideas....???

 

[countrychick14]

Goodness! Thats awful! I almost want to tell you to cull them now. Thats probably what I would do. If they are this aggressive at 2 weeks, I hate to imagine what will happen when they become interested in the females. Are you keeping a red light on them? I would also put pine tar on the ones that are injured. The meanest rooster we had was an blue andulasioan , he went into the soup pot. I wish you the best of luck. I wish I had more ideas for you.

 

[ducks_rcool329]

you could just look the other way when they are " exercising" near a pond.....

 

[ducks_rcool329]

Quote:
meaning just release them into he wild...if they are that aggressive, they will do fine. But that is illegal...... but you live in the woods... sooooo no one would know

 

[calgal98]

Yeah, my 5 week olds are just as bad. I just lost one that was fine this morning, but had her rear end pecked off and dead as a doorknob this evening...Ugh. These chicks from this years hatches have been the worst I've ever had. I didn't want to put them out in the larger environment but don't think I will have a choice...

 

[mother o' chicks72]

clip their beaks and nails. hold them for a really long time, like a really really long time.

 

[Barrdwing]

Good night. I've never known two-week-olds to be like that. We've had our share of young bullies, early bloomers, and chicks that seemed like they were born to be picked on, but this situation is over the top. I have to wonder if the roo used in the cross might accidentally have come from a line with a high incidence of territorial aggression. The father bird might behave fine, and still carry genes that you won't want in your flock. With so many of the chicks involved, it's unlikely to be the mothers.
It's really disturbing that they're behaving like this, because of what they might be like when they're older.

I'm with mother o' chicks, handle them like crazy, and trim the sharp ends of their claws and beaks. Don't quick them, though. It might even be easier to use a nail file on those tiny beaks and claws. And see how things go over the next few weeks. Good luck!

 

[Tool]

Thats no good. I have a 2 1/2 week old Delaware that has been acting the same way. She is quite a bit smaller than the other 16, but she has been a real PITA. We have been constantley seperating her, and spending time with her, trying to break the habit. she has drawn blood from about 11 of the others. We gave them some cat toys, hung old cd's in the brooders, and provide daily treats. the last couple of days she has calmed down. hopefully it is a permanent change, but time will tell.

However with your mixed breeds, it may be a permanant personality trait that can not be changed. The accidental release may be a resonable idea, but I am still new to all this. Good luck.

 

[mlward]

Funny, I'm seeing similar behavior in the 6 wk old orps I have. Last spring I got my first chickens (8 buff orps) and they were, and still are, very sweet. You could put your hand in the brooder and they just wanted to step up and sit in your hand and be petted. But, this spring I have 8 buff orps that I got at approx 2 wks and they are... different, to say the least! They are aggressive and flighty. You have to be quick reaching in to replace the food & water containers. I've tried catching them, holding & petting them, but they resist. Luckily, I'm just fostering them for a relative. In a couple days the menacing little beauties will be going to their new home. (breathing sigh of relief) That will give me a week to recover before the 16 eggs I have in the incubator hatch. My first attempt at incubating our own eggs!

 

[Tool]

Good luck with the hatch.

I think I may need to come up with some sort of chick behavioral modification courses. Maybe base it on an ROTC style program, or chick rehab.