Freshly hatched chick attacking hatchmates

[Reaperprincess]

Has anyone have this happen before. I recently hatched some chicks and the first three came out in the beginning of day 20. Normal enough right. But about 5 hours later later a new chick hatched and by then those three were walking around exploring the incubater. I didn't want to open the incubater too soon because of humidity so I left them. After the chick came out of the egg, healthy little thing chirping away, the others started pecking at them. I thought they were just exploring the new chick. But when i came back later they were dragging the chick's lifeless body around. Pecking and tugging. In the end i had to remove them before they endangered the rest of the chicks.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Did they kill the chick or did it die on its own and they just ran with it? My little quail routinely drag other chicks around by toes or wings, never had any injuries though, I wonder if it didn’t die of other causes and the chicks just played football since it didn’t protest?

 

[jxp]

Oh that is sad. I am sorry for your loss and truly horrified if they're evil little beings. I know nature can be cruel but that's just awful.