Help! Chicks 5 1/2 weeks acting crazy

[Panhandle chick]

Hi there! New to raising chicks. I have 20 black sexlink chicks that are about 51/2 weeks in a really big brood area and they are running around crazily and getting in fights with each other. Is this the terrible 2s? I haven’t fed them anything different (yesterday some scrambled eggs, grit, and chick feed) yesterday I had some electrolytes in water but today is all fresh. Thoughts? They are really rambunctious

 

[Parront]

Are they fighting over the food? Are any male?

 

[Punkybrewster]

Sounds like normal behavior to me.
Some breeds are mellow, some are crazy in my experience.

 

[Panhandle chick]

They are all female and there is lots of food and water - available on two sides of the brood box

 

[Punkybrewster]

Are they still under heat?
If its extreme crazyness, it may be too warm for them.

After trying that and no change, then thats just normal behavior for the age.

 

[Parront]

They are all female and there is lots of food and water - available on two sides of the brood box

Sounds like they are just having a good time! They are fun to watch -- chicken TV. They are probably just deciding on the pecking order and will settle down when they figure out who is the boss hen of this new flock!

 

[Parront]

If they pick on one too much and draw blood, that could be a problem. It is a good idea to make some hide-outs so the low on the totem pole hens can get away from the bullies. Some bushes to hide under, or a wall to run circles around. Playground type stuff for them to jump up on branches & perches. They sound old enough to go out in the yard and start to forage, give those beaks something else to peck besides each other?

 

[Panhandle chick]

Are they still under heat?
If its extreme crazyness, it may be too warm for them.

After trying that and no change, then thats just normal behavior for the age.

Should I remove heat completely? What is the environment temp I should keep it at? Thanks

 

[Punkybrewster]

Are they outside?
What is your weather and outside temps?

 

[Panhandle chick]

Sounds like they are just having a good time! They are fun to watch -- chicken TV. They are probably just deciding on the pecking order and will settle down when they figure out who is the boss hen of this new flock!

So entertaining!! I was wondering about the pecking order because they love to run as fast as they can but when two face each other they then get tall and start to fight and then move on so funny. I was just hoping they didn’t eat something that made them act coo coo cachoo