Help! Two of my chicks acting like they're going to kill each other!

[klaranna belle]

I am VERY new to raising chickens...we just brought home our 4 baby chicks last Tuesday (1 Black Copper Marans, 1 True Araucana and 2 Swedish Flower). They are 6 weeks old.

Since bringing them home, the Marans ("Steve") and one of the Swedish Flowers ("Blooma") have been "chest bumping," occasionally...until today! I had to go into the coop and rescue Steve, because Blooma was relentlessly pecking at her, but Steve was not backing down. Even when I got her out of the coop, she ran around over to Blooma and was pecking at her through the wire.

Steve is a pullet, despite the rather masculine-sounding name... my husband named her.

I think she might be the instigator, though she is clearly loosing the battle!

How do I stop this?! Will I ever be able to mover her back into the coop, or do I need to consider getting rid of her? That would make me sad....she's a pretty little bird, if somewhat bad tempered.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Spice Glen Hens]

I hope this is just a juvinile expression that will pass.

They have to have room to get away from each other.

Giving worms can increse their agression also start toe pecking.
The color red is bad. Increases agression.

How about if you put the mean one in a cat carrier to keep her in the coop but allow the weaker one to walk by to say hello?

It is frustrating when they dont get along, and at this age they are not bad roosters trying to fight and kill each other.

Once I had a customer bring me 2 roosters.
I put them in a holding cage.
Big enough to hold 10 chickens.
I went in to have lunch.
Heard a commotion outside
Went out and had blood sprayed all over the place.

Those 2 never could be together again.
One went to a new home, the other went to freezer camp.

That is how it works in the chicken world I guess.

Spicy

 

[brairgirl]

Here is a blog post thing from chicken chick (ADozenGirlz I think is her name on here)

I haven't had to use it yet, but there will probably be a time that I do..

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/how-to-reform-brooder-bully.html

 

[zebralady]

I have a hen who is also really aggressive (oddly enough she also crows.....SHE IS A HEN, she gives eggs and is currently raising some baby ducks she has hatched out) I have had great luck with cageing her in the coop. She is confined to a cage (with food and water of course) and allowed to watch the flock yet not be a part of it. I go out daily and let her out to watch her interaction. If she goes after another hen, back to the cage she goes until she can "play nice". I have had to cage her 3 times for the aggression but, it has worked each time...kind of a chicken time out....lol. Good luck.

Oh, I use a full wire cage so that she can see all around her as well.

 

[Spice Glen Hens]

Is it possible that chickens can be gay?

I have a very nice, docile, friendly rooster that I never saw mate or crow.
I thought about him last night. I feed him, care for him, but is he really important to my flock.
He has big spurs, a French Cukoo Maran, dark plumage with feathered feet.

He just never showed an intrest in girls and never would confront my big Cukoo Maran rooster.
They are buddies.

I think he is homosexual.

Spicy

 

[brairgirl]

Is it possible that chickens can be gay?

I have a very nice, docile, friendly rooster that I never saw mate or crow.
I thought about him last night. I feed him, care for him, but is he really important to my flock.
He has big spurs, a French Cukoo Maran, dark plumage with feathered feet.

He just never showed an intrest in girls and never would confront my big Cukoo Maran rooster.
They are buddies.

I think he is homosexual.

Spicy

I read that I started cracking up.. But probably! Or maybe he just doesn't mate with them in front of you.

 

[Spice Glen Hens]

Well,

I think we need a new thread;

"How to care for homosexual chickens"

LOL

 

[klaranna belle]

That's exactly what I did, placed Steve in a dog kennel right next to the coop, for about an hour. I tried putting her back in and Blooma charged at her the minute Steve was back in the coop. So then it was Blooma's turn in time out! I'm going to keep them separate for the night and I'll try reuniting them, again, tomorrow.

The red thing is interesting, since my hubbie just painted the coop yesterday...barn red.

I don't know what to say about the gay thing. Maybe Blooma's just hating on the Marens because she's named "Steve!"

Thanks for the help!

 

[Spice Glen Hens]

Red

 

[brairgirl]

We had gay guinea pigs

But yes we need a new thread!