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

[Spice Glen Hens]

Trim out the paint so the pullets see no red.

Painting your coop yellow and blue might be somewhat calming. Red incites pecking and aggression.

I thought about leg shackles, or JESSES used in Falconry to slow the running of agressive birds. So they cant attack.
Jesses are made of leather and soft and do not hurt a bird. Connected together the bird cant run. But they can hang a bird, so you have to watch them.
I have not done it yet on a chicken, but I have been a falconer with falcons, hawks, and a great Horned Owl. I was working with The Audabon Society banding hawks in Cape May for years.
However, if used correctly, jesses can slow an aggressive, fast attacking bird.

Anybody do this?

The gay thing I think people know about.... but it is kept in the closet?

Anyway, good job putting them apart temporarily.

I would make jesses to save a bird from being a menace if I really wanted to keep the bird.
For some reason (dial-up)??? I cant see the link above "How to tame a brooder bully".

Roosters can be very bad when they are young.

Later, they chill out.

10 month old roosters are very annoying to the hens.
At your pullets age, they know only from their surroundings.

You added red, and now, you see aggressive pullets. Is it normal?
I would try painting blue or yellow on everything they can see to cover the red.
From inside, look and trim out the paint so the pullets see no red.

Spicy

 

[IceAngel]

Well I learned the hard way about "red" bringing out aggression. I have this beautiful "hatch" rooster that takes such wonderful care of his free range hens. We have lots of birds of prey around and some how he has managed to keep his harem safe.
One day, I felt this thud on my back, as if someone had hit me with a soccer ball. It was the rooster ready to take another flying leap at me. It actually scared me because he was propelling himself through the air, talons outstretched and landing blows on my body. I turned and ran but he was just as fast and kept hitting me in the back with his full body weight all the way to the house. "Yes" you guessed it, I was wearing a red sweatshirt.
Those "jesses" you talk about might be just the thing to slow him down (just so I can get away) but I wonder if it will affect his ability to fend off predators?

 

[Spice Glen Hens]

Bulls attack red too...


Something about red?
Noticed this in my brooders;
Now my baby waterers are red dishes with a semi clear bottle.
.A red bowl of water.
I think the smart companies that mold plastic waterers for babies make them red to have "Aggressive Water Drinking"?

I want the chicks to attack the water. Bigger chicks.= Red bowls.

Now, if the same companies focus on the real needs of our chickens, they would offer toys for gay chickensand boys can have sleepy buddy cocks, and hens can brood together.
Are we asking too much? Our chickens will have everything?
Chicken Toys . com very well might happen.

We see the need now.

The question is really..."How happy is your chicken"?

Gay ones are not happy in a normal flock. Sure, they hang out and go along with the flock, but are not really a part of it.
Aggressive females and docile males are everywhere.

Do we now lable them?

I think it is a good idea. In proven cases there are in each 100 chicks several gays.

Unfortunately,

In my opinion,

Spicy

 

[Spice Glen Hens]

I just want to say about the aggressive females.
I have a couple of them that you dont want to mess with.

One may have been abused before I got her because she ran and hid from me like she was mistreated before I had her.

But I gained confidence in her. She went broody, and raised chicks. I fed her by hand.
Still, she was mean to me. And anybody.

Today, she is too tough for any rooster. I think she is part male.
I have the gay rooster I think he is part female.
I have more gay or cuckhold ones I think.

I have several hundred chickens so I can add more facts, but starting a new thread on this topic makes more sense.

To discuss behaviors of our weird chickens in the proper area. Aggressive females smacks of Lesbian if you ask me.
"To honestly understand the chicken's mind one must join the chicken in it's thoughts...good or bad and keep your opinion private"

Back to the topic,

Let them work it out as much as possible.

A personal note; I enjoyed this thread and had a few chuckles


Spicy

 

[questions543]

red increases appetite (curiosity)
I'm not sure if the aggression part is true

 

[klaranna belle]

While trying to do some further research on the use of the color red, I came across this (rather amusing) article with a contrary point of view. Thought I'd share!

http://www.uselessinformation.org/chickens/index.html