Flogged by 5 wk old chick???

[ccshambhala]

So I have 6 5 week old chicks (and a 7 wk old spitzhauben) in a brooder in our workshop. Last week we started moving them into the chicken tractor during the day and then putting them back into the brooder at night. Yesterday I thought one of the creme brabanters went after me when I put my arm in the brooder to get the chicks to move them outside - but I wasn't sure as they get kind of hoppy .... Today there is NO doubt. Definitely flogged me - even left a scratch up by arm. The creme brabanters are SUPPOSED to be pullets (and I've seen no reddening of their crests/wattles - altho I'd be happy to have people look at em again because I got VERY few gender guesses when I posted pics for that) - even if it's a cockerel I have NEVER had a 5 week old be aggressive!! Is this a personality problem?

 

[N&MSchroeder]

Yikes!

Hens can be aggressive too, but this seems pretty extreme! I don't know much about this breed, so maybe you can find a thread here on BYC that discusses Brabanters. I do know with my 13 week old bantam roosters, if they are acting a little too aggressive toward another chick, I will pick them up and cuddle them. I gently pet them and talk to them. Usually, they squawk something fierce, but I have 1 or 2 who seem to like it. After I hold them for a few minutes and then let them go, all seem to change their behavior. You might give it a try.

 

[ccshambhala]

thank you N&MSchroeder

I double posted

I posted this once in the breed thread and once here. Apparently (as I expected/hoped) this is not breed related. After it flogged me I held it for awhile until it was calm - it is just so crazy to me because it IS so young and I have never had this happen/wouldn't expect it. We do plan on giving this one "extra attention" to hopefully retrain it to be nice

 

[axion_lotus]

Sounds like you've got yourself a troublemaker. I try working with my mean girls early before they get any meaner! My mean girls got a lot of extra one-on-one time with Mama when they were still tiny, and now they're thirteen weeks old and sweet as apple pie.