how to stop this behavior?

[Coffgirl]

I put my hen and baby chick(5 weeks old currently) together for about 2 weeks but with barricade.
I removed it after that, they had been together quite fine for a few days.

But then I just saw my hen keeps chasing and peck on the chick's feet non-stop.
and that drew a bit of blood.

I separated them by putting barricade in again until the chick's feet healed.
and I left them that way for a week.

I tried removing the barricade again but my hen doesn't seem to stop aiming for the chick's feet.

What can I do about this? please help.

 

[sourland]

Try keeping them separated until the chick is older.

 

[albinosilver]

Typically when they’re going after the feet, it’s because it looks new and strange to them and they think it’s some type of worm or something. You could try giving different things for her to peck at to distract her.

I think for now they are too young. I have 6 week old chicks but I’m waiting until they are at least 8 weeks before trying to introduce.

 

[Eggs82]

I’d definitely keep them separate until the chicks are bigger. But even then you’ll probably have some issues. I had my new flock of 6 seperated from my current flock for over 2 months. Being able to see each other but not get to each other. After taking the barrier down there still going after the pullers. Definitely not as bad as just throwing them in, which I’ve tried before. But from what I’ve seen there’s always gonna be some squabbling when introducing new birds. It took over 3 month for the last ones I introduced to find there place in the flock.

 

[llombardo]

I got the squabbles going on. I am spending all my free time out there to make sure everyone is safe. It's very time consuming.

 

[Eggs82]

I feel your pain. I’m in the process of trying to integrate 6, 19 week old pullets into my existing flock of 5 hens. Two of the hens are real bully’s. There probably gonna be getting some solitary confinement soon.

 

[cosmosue]

Maybe when they are a little older take everyone out, put them in a box or a tub with a cover, remove all he parts from inside the cage/hutch whatever it is, clean it, put everything back in a different place, add some sticks or whatever maybe some wood shavings if you use that, then put all quail back.

Watch what happens. Mine always fall for this trick. If you have different pens, completely switch pens on them.

I just did this today because I had to move some around - works like a charm. I had 6 week old females in with about 15 or so 3 week olds and did this and no one was the wiser. No fighting or picking.

When I have to mix ages of not quite mature Quail I always do this, and I try to separate all the males into another pen, and leave the females with the younger quails because they tend not to be as mean, this worked for me. So I had young females and a group of 3 week olds no problem with 4 boys separate. Today I did a harvest and then moved them around again. All is fine.

Good luck.

 

[Coffgirl]

Thanks for every answers!
I'll try that.

 

[Coffgirl]

eh.. my chicks have full feather today but still a little smaller than my hen.

So I cleaned the cage.
and move to other spot and take everything out except food and water but place in different place.

I put everyone in there at once (they see each other everyday with barricade).
my hen ignored them at first.. then she started the same behavior in a few mins.
she tried to peck to all 3 chicks' feet then she pecked on everyone's head and back as well. it's to the point that the chicks ran away with fear so I took my hen out.

I place her with her old mate.
They're exactly same age and seeing eachother everyday.
but she still PECKED on his feet but because he's as big as her so he doesn't care that much at first but now he seemed to annoy how my hen trying to eat his feet all the time..

seems like this will never be fixed at all?
will my hen need to be alone forever because she can't live with anyone. ;_;
I breed those babies for her but she attacks everything.

 

[cosmosue]

I guess she’s just into feet? That’s weird. Maybe she’s trying to pick bits off their feet lol I’ve no idea is she being MEAN about it or curious about it and not meaning harm