Help-Angry little chick!

[lambchick]

One of our new chicks-a dark brahma has been bullying all of the others-the other 21! She's managed to pick at a couple eyes and one even bled. I put her in a seperate box with her own feed, water and heat lamp. This is the first day we've had them and I really don't want to keep her alone, can anyone give me any advice?

I know that today, the day they arrived at the store, they are a little pooped out and tomorrow may be better, but just in case, thought I'd ask.

She needs a time out and my Cesar Millan wisdom that I use with my dogs and horses is NOT working with her.

BTW-There must be a character on a WII game called wilegi-but my 3 year old pronounces it "wild wedgie". So we've given the name of honor to this little gal!

 

[chookchick]

Are you using a red lamp?, keeps them a little calmer. Make sure they aren't too hot and have plenty of room. If she continues to be a problem you could make her a little "cell'' out of hardware cloth in the corner so she's not alone--hopefully she'll mellow out!

 

[william9792]

i had one i hatch out a while back that was like that and i took a pair of finger clippers and took a little of the top beak off and that stopped it from being the bully, just alittle of it

 

[birdlover]

I agree with chookchick. Wall her off a portion of the brooder with hardware cloth so she can see and be seen by the others but not go after them. Then, see how she behaves after a few days of isolation.

 

[cmom]

pinless peepers

 

[lambchick]

Update-Well, I kept her out of the group overnight. I also doubled the size of the brooder, now with 2 lamps, took some of those irredecsent marbles and put them in glass jars and set them around the brooder, dropped a few into the bedding, and did the scratch boxes that someone posted up on here.

Wow-what a difference. Seems they are more independent today and after I watched what they were pecking at, it appears that they liked the shinyness of the eyes, so the marbles were a sure fit for that.

Thanks everyone-I really appreciate it.
PS-Still going to get red lamps too.

 

[birdlover]