Help with Aggressive chick (or picked on chick, I am not 100% which)?

[Yabadabadoo]

Help with an aggressive chick????

New chick momma here...

Yesterday we got chicks. We’ve had mature chickens for years, but this is the first time we have raised them ourselves. We brought home nine chicks yesterday afternoon (from a feed and tack store), some barred rocks, australorps, black stars and gold stars. Some of the chicks have about a 2-2.5 age span and they are all ~2-4 weeks old.

Since yesterday we’ve noticed that Frank, who appeared to be molting a little with feathers coming is, has lost a lot of fluff on his back and neck (no blood spots or sores though). Frank is an australorp. As I sat and watched I observed that one of the gold stars (Sunset...yes, six year old is naming ) is pecking him and she is pecking at others as well. The other gold star (Cinnamon) is also pecky, although not as bad as Sunset. I am not really noticing any other birds getting defluffed or pecking, except occasional pecking at the side of their bin.

I have read online about pecky chicks and various causes (boredom, pecking order, illness, overcrowding, stress, breed...), but would love to tap your knowledge. Right now I have the two golds separated from the others, thinking they may just be a more aggressive breed or they are reacting to the others' darker colors?). I don’t think overcrowding is the issue.

Thanks so much for your insights. I have been reading, but am a total chick novice!

 

[Yabadabadoo]

 

[Tonyroo]

Check your temperature at chick level, needs to be at 99 or less degrees. Put a couple of small cardboard boxes for them to explore, you can cut out little doorways for them to go in and out.

Giving them things to explore will help with the pecking, but after several days and there still pecking you have to separate. Just use that fencing in the pic to divide the brooder.

 

[theoldchick]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar... that is too,some sort of unpleasant behavior.

 

[Yabadabadoo]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior.72029/#:~:text=Baby chicks have nervous systems,when they experience these stimuli.&text=A brooder that is too,some sort of unpleasant behavior.

Thanks so much! Super helpful

 

[Yabadabadoo]

Check your temperature at chick level, needs to be at 99 or less degrees. Put a couple of small cardboard boxes for them to explore, you can cut out little doorways for them to go in and out.

Giving them things to explore will help with the pecking, but after several days and there still pecking you have to separate. Just use that fencing in the pic to divide the brooder.
View attachment 2482869View attachment 2482871

Appreciate your help and the pics. Thank you

 

[MaryDeeP]

Help with an aggressive chick????

New chick momma here...

Yesterday we got chicks. We’ve had mature chickens for years, but this is the first time we have raised them ourselves. We brought home nine chicks yesterday afternoon (from a feed and tack store), some barred rocks, australorps, black stars and gold stars. Some of the chicks have about a 2-2.5 age span and they are all ~2-4 weeks old.

Since yesterday we’ve noticed that Frank, who appeared to be molting a little with feathers coming is, has lost a lot of fluff on his back and neck (no blood spots or sores though). Frank is an australorp. As I sat and watched I observed that one of the gold stars (Sunset...yes, six year old is naming ) is pecking him and she is pecking at others as well. The other gold star (Cinnamon) is also pecky, although not as bad as Sunset. I am not really noticing any other birds getting defluffed or pecking, except occasional pecking at the side of their bin.

I have read online about pecky chicks and various causes (boredom, pecking order, illness, overcrowding, stress, breed...), but would love to tap your knowledge. Right now I have the two golds separated from the others, thinking they may just be a more aggressive breed or they are reacting to the others' darker colors?). I don’t think overcrowding is the issue.

Thanks so much for your insights. I have been reading, but am a total chick novice!

I’m having the same issue but the aggressor is a silver laced wyandotte that’s about 4-5 weeks old. Haven’t a clue why she’s being aggressive. Not over crowded but I did move their brooder from the house to the garage. The other four are calm

 

[Yabadabadoo]

I’m having the same issue but the aggressor is a silver laced wyandotte that’s about 4-5 weeks old. Haven’t a clue why she’s being aggressive. Not over crowded but I did move their brooder from the house to the garage. The other four are calm

Our issues worked itself out. I think the red stars were picking on the birds that look different, then also our black austrolorp had rough feather grow outs as they matured

 

[Ryguy3684]

I’m having the same issue but the aggressor is a silver laced wyandotte that’s about 4-5 weeks old. Haven’t a clue why she’s being aggressive. Not over crowded but I did move their brooder from the house to the garage. The other four are calm

As long as they're not being two aggressive, drawing blood, pulling a lot of feathers, they should work it out if they're close to the same age. If one is being overly aggressive, you can try separating the bully for a day. Put it back in, after a day or two, and if it continues, remove it again. This is all assuming it's not an environmental issue.

 

[Carson213]

Check your temperature at chick level, needs to be at 99 or less degrees. Put a couple of small cardboard boxes for them to explore, you can cut out little doorways for them to go in and out.

Giving them things to explore will help with the pecking, but after several days and there still pecking you have to separate. Just use that fencing in the pic to divide the brooder.
View attachment 2482869View attachment 2482871

that first pic is awesome! i have never thought about making the brooder interesting from a 3D standpoint. great idea. i have a lot of chicks right now plus a couple turkey poults all in a brooder room together. tomorrow i am going to add some “terrain.”