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[lucygoldysparky]

I now understand there is a pecking order among chickens. I got some baby chicks they seem to be picking on one of them. The one being picked on has feathers missing on the back of the neck and some sorrs. I separated them and put the one by itself. Was that the right thing to do or will it make it worse when I put them back together? Thanks for the feedback

 

[Skyoaks413]

How old are your chicks? How many? If the one being picked on is getting really hurt/bleeding I'd take her out and give her a chance to recover, but what you thought was right they may pick on her worse when she comes back. You can get some "pick no more" or similar which is blue gel that you can put on wounds, if it's red they will go after it relentlessly. Sometimes figuring out who the bully is and removing her is an option, then the others will leave the picked on one alone and when the bully comes back she's at the bottom of the pecking order. It sucks to watch they can be so mean! Good luck, hope that helps!

 

[donrae]

"Pecking order" simply means the social structure of a flock. Every group of animals (and humans also) have a social structure. It just means who is boss of who. Chickens reinforce this with pecking, but as a rule it's simply a single peck, not an attack or anything that causes injury. Like a human lightly smacking another human.

Baby chicks pecking each other to the point of breaking skin, pulling feathers or drawing blood means there's something wrong.

My first thought is always overcrowding. How many chicks do you have, and how much space are they in?

Second thought is overheating. How old are they, and do they have space to get completely out from under the heat lamp?

What are you feeding them?

Yes, it was good to separate the chick, and yes it may make things worse when you put her back. You'll want her to be gone the least amount of time possible, and answer the above questions so we can help you troubleshoot why your birds are pecking each other.

 

[lucygoldysparky]

I have them in a extra large dog cage that I put chicken wire around OT is about 4ft by 3ft I am feeding them dumor poultry 16% layered feed crumble I give them bread or crackers once a day

 

[lucygoldysparky]

I have them in a extra large dog cage that I put chicken wire around OT is about 4ft by 3ft I am feeding them dumor poultry 16% layered feed crumble I give them bread or crackers once a day

I have 5 chicks not sure on the age from what I gather they are about 4-5 weeks old

 

[donrae]

First, they need more space. They can't tell you they're crowded, but their behavior is saying that.

Second, layer feed is for laying birds. Young, growing birds need more protein. Your chicks need to be on starter or grower until they are laying or just about to, say 5 ish months. Even then, a lot of us never use layer feed, we just stay on the grower.

Try those changes, and purchase some Blu-Kote to spray the pecked bird's sore or open areas. That spray color masks the open sores so the other birds aren't stimulated to peck at the same places. Just be careful about getting it on your hands or clothes, any thing you don't want being blue for a while

 

[lucygoldysparky]

First, they need more space. They can't tell you they're crowded, but their behavior is saying that. 

Second, layer feed is for laying birds. Young, growing birds need more protein. Your chicks need to be on starter or grower until they are laying or just about to, say 5 ish months. Even then, a lot of us never use layer feed, we just stay on the grower. 

Try those changes, and purchase some Blu-Kote to spray the pecked bird's sore or open areas. That spray color masks the open sores so the other birds aren't stimulated to peck at the same places. Just be careful about getting it on your hands or clothes, any thing you don't want being blue for a while 

 

[lucygoldysparky]

Thank you I didn't no they needed that kind of food went and got them some that is starter grower and I got the blue kote tomorrow we will be giving them more room I have 2 laying hens and a rooster I was trying to put them with but my one hen is not so nice to them she pecked the one as soon as I got them home so that's why they were put in a cage but tomorrow when I have some help the for sure will be getting more room thank you so much