Eye Pecking!! HELP!!!

[FreedomFarm13]

I just went and bought two little Welsummer babies. I believe they're about 3-4 days old. They were bought as replacements for the two cuckoo maran babies I lost last night. I put the new babies in with the two week older cuckoo maran chicks that survived, and almost as soon as I put them in there, the smallest Welsummer started pecking EVERYONE. She was pecking the chicks 2-3 times bigger than her, and especially bad was her behavior towards the other Welsummer. She keeps pecking her eyes, and in the most vicious way. She grabs hold of her eyelids and then shakes her head, pulling the poor little thing around with her beak. She screams like it hurts REALLY BAD, and I don't know what to do. She's such a vicious little b**** and I really don't want my sweet little new baby to lose an eye because of this. So I need opinions. Badly. Do you think this is something that will stop, or should I seriously considering separating the little troublemaker? I really don't want to put her in solitary confinement, she might be lonely, but if she keeps hurting little Ella (Cinderella, cuz she's getting picked on), I'm gonna have to take action. What do you guys think? Will this behavior subside? Thanks for reading!

Lindsey

 

[justplainbatty]

I just went and bought two little Welsummer babies. I believe they're about 3-4 days old. They were bought as replacements for the two cuckoo maran babies I lost last night. I put the new babies in with the two week older cuckoo maran chicks that survived, and almost as soon as I put them in there, the smallest Welsummer started pecking EVERYONE. She was pecking the chicks 2-3 times bigger than her, and especially bad was her behavior towards the other Welsummer. She keeps pecking her eyes, and in the most vicious way. She grabs hold of her eyelids and then shakes her head, pulling the poor little thing around with her beak. She screams like it hurts REALLY BAD, and I don't know what to do. She's such a vicious little b**** and I really don't want my sweet little new baby to lose an eye because of this. So I need opinions. Badly. Do you think this is something that will stop, or should I seriously considering separating the little troublemaker? I really don't want to put her in solitary confinement, she might be lonely, but if she keeps hurting little Ella (Cinderella, cuz she's getting picked on), I'm gonna have to take action. What do you guys think? Will this behavior subside? Thanks for reading!

Lindsey

Can you make a little fenced in area inside the brooder (chicken wire top over cardboard sides) where you could put the meanie and still give it food and water? That way it'll still be with the flock w/o the bully ability. I would also consider keeping a close eye on the beat up one, it may be sick and the other chick knows it.

 

[FreedomFarm13]

UPDATE: It got worse VERY quickly. I looked in the brooder and little Ella's eyes were both bleeding, so I immediately removed the mean one. My mom thinks we should just kill the evil little psychopath, but I'm very conflicted. I don't want to kill her, but she definitely can't be in with the others. I'm so sad, and I don't know what to do. Please help!!!

 

[justplainbatty]

UPDATE: It got worse VERY quickly. I looked in the brooder and little Ella's eyes were both bleeding, so I immediately removed the mean one. My mom thinks we should just kill the evil little psychopath, but I'm very conflicted. I don't want to kill her, but she definitely can't be in with the others. I'm so sad, and I don't know what to do. Please help!!!

OMG! Take a nail file and flatten the front of her beak (don't hit the blood line). Did you take video of this by chance?

 

[FreedomFarm13]

I was thinking the same thing: that Ella might be sick and the other chick was beating her up because of it. It just seems so crazy to me that at the store they all seemed to be getting along, no one's eyes were pecked out, and the second I get her home she just goes ballistic. This is killing me!

 

[FreedomFarm13]

No, I didn't take a video. I was too horrified. Will that really help? Filing down her beak? Because I really don't want to kill her or anything. I just can't stand to, especially after losing two just last night. I don't have the heart to do it. And there brooder is a huge cardboard box, so I don't know about separating them. I would like to do something like that, where she can see the others but not hurt them, but I just don't have the materials to really do it. I think I'll try the filing, though, if you really think it would help. I just can't bear to get rid of her.

 

[justplainbatty]

No, I didn't take a video. I was too horrified. Will that really help? Filing down her beak? Because I really don't want to kill her or anything. I just can't stand to, especially after losing two just last night. I don't have the heart to do it. And there brooder is a huge cardboard box, so I don't know about separating them. I would like to do something like that, where she can see the others but not hurt them, but I just don't have the materials to really do it. I think I'll try the filing, though, if you really think it would help. I just can't bear to get rid of her.

Just file off the sharp tip. she won't be able to do so much damage. Put some triple antibiotic in the eyes of the injured chick. You can make the meanie a corral out of a cereal box (taped to brooder floor) with some little widows in the sides and top. You can sprinkle her food in to it and find some little shallow thing for water like a butter dish lid. she may make a mess and you'll have to keep making sure she has water....Don't worry about video now, you don't want to subject the others to another round of beatings, at least not before you file her beak.

 

[FreedomFarm13]

Thank you SOOOOO much for the advice. I really didn't know what to do. I'd never had a really mean chick like her. I'm gonna file her beak now and see if I can build her her own little 'cell' to keep her away from the others, and I'll definitely put the antibiotics on Ella. Poor baby. And she's so sweet, too Thanks again for all your help. I'll let you know how it goes after I put her back in.

 

[JJSS89]

Nail clippers work for the beak. Cut it right to the bloodline so it's tender or she'll be right back at it.

 

[justplainbatty]

Thank you SOOOOO much for the advice. I really didn't know what to do. I'd never had a really mean chick like her. I'm gonna file her beak now and see if I can build her her own little 'cell' to keep her away from the others, and I'll definitely put the antibiotics on Ella. Poor baby. And she's so sweet, too Thanks again for all your help. I'll let you know how it goes after I put her back in.

If you opt for clippers and hit the blood line, use some flour or blood stop powder if you have it. Otherwise, the other birds may go after her!