Fighting

[mbienvenue]

I posted a couple of days ago about chickens fighting, the next day they were fine, I have a heat light above their roost when I turned it on they started fighting again I turned it off and they stopped which was exactly what happened the other night any thoughts it’s a red bulb.

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

Are any of your chickens new?

 

[mbienvenue]

No got them at the same time it’s between Rhode Island Red and Orpington but only when I turn heat lamp on turn off and their fine.

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

No got them at the same time it’s between Rhode Island Red and Orpington but only when I turn heat lamp on turn off and their fine.

I have no idea.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

They don't need the heat, leave it off.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! If they are fully feathered as in older than six weeks, they do NOT need that heat lamp. If having it off is all it takes, just leave it off! Mary

 

[Folly's place]

If it's a production red from a hatchery, that's been my experience. Pushy, difficult birds. Mary

 

[chickens really]

Up the protein to 18% in the feed...Don't have the lamp over them, if you want it? Put it over the floor area high enough to be useful...I run heat but it's never too warm...

 

[Kiki]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

They don't need the heat, leave it off.

x2

 

[HoopyFrood]

Chickens are remarkably informative if one pays careful attention. They are uncomfortably warm.

In our experience chickens who are normally well-behaved will become aggressive and ornery when they are uncomfortable or displeased with something in their environment.

Common wisdom says newly hatched chicks need to be provided an area of the brooder that is 95 degF. Our day old chicks complained incessantly when we first got them home. They were not happy until that area was reduced to 85 degF. I was not making mistakes in the temperature measurements. These chicks just liked it cold. Within a week (common wisdom says their warm spot should be dropped to 90 degF) they spent 95% of their time in an unheated, attached brooder section.

Watch the birds and they will tell you what they want!