I have a bully, what now?

[JNorth]

I just discovered a bully amount our 13 chicks, they are around 3 weeks old. I noticed one chick being pecked at by everyone and after pulling her out found blood coming from a tail feather. I got her cleaned up and put her back. Then I watched for a while as one chick went around pecking and sometimes pulling at the tail feathers of the other chicks. No one was excluded, if they walked past, they got pecked.

She's drawing blood otherwise I'd just chalk it up to pecking order dispute. What do I do with the bully?

 

[Judy]

I woud remove it, for at least a few days. With an adult, many people say to take them out for a week.

 

[Realtree4]

The Chicken Chick has a really good post on how to deal with a bully in the brooder.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=chick+bully

Hope this works, it's only my 2nd post and first time posting a link

 

[Realtree4]

So apparently I haven't learned all the rules yet....I tried posting a link but it isn't from Backyard Chickens....my apologies moderators!!!!

Anyway, if you google "The Chicken Chick" she has an amazing blog and then search for "bully in a brooder". She wrote an awesome post on how she dealt with a chick that was bullying everyone.

 

[red horse ranch]

I just discovered a bully amount our 13 chicks, they are around 3 weeks old. I noticed one chick being pecked at by everyone and after pulling her out found blood coming from a tail feather. I got her cleaned up and put her back. Then I watched for a while as one chick went around pecking and sometimes pulling at the tail feathers of the other chicks. No one was excluded, if they walked past, they got pecked.

She's drawing blood otherwise I'd just chalk it up to pecking order dispute. What do I do with the bully?

I use an anti-pick lotion called Rooster Booster. It's a dark smelly liquid that hides bloody areas and tastes very nasty. It doesn't hurt either chick but it makes a bully think twice before pecking.

 

[JNorth]

Oh, thanks. I knew there was something like that out there just didn't know what it was called.

 

[Gingersnap722]

I use an anti-pick lotion called Rooster Booster. It's a dark smelly liquid that hides bloody areas and tastes very nasty. It doesn't hurt either chick but it makes a bully think twice before pecking.

You can also use axle grease. Old remedy....

 

[Branch Chickens]

This was a link to that blog, but I deleted it just in case.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Since the topic came up, here's the appropriate rule.


Rule #4 Do not promote other websites that are "similar" to BackYardChickens, especially similar forums. Sometimes it may be appropriate to link to another site that has specific information relative to a question, but moderators have to right to remove links and posts at their discretion.


Here are the full Rules for anyone's review. Privacy/TOS

The system catches many posts with links to outside sources. It is automated.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have found that there are various opinions on how to deal with picking and have spent money on some so called remedies. I also found they usually don't work. That all chicks, chickens and breeds are not a like.

I had eight different breeds to start. Three the GLW, SLW's and Aussies were picked bald. After much effort to stop this I just gave them away. End of problem.

To some roosters even from the same family line turn out to be meanies. The only solution is to cull the offending bird.

Though I did knock out a rooster once and he never came at me again, but he didn't seem the same after the incident.

In the OP's case I say either give them a bigger area and two feeders and waterers, reduce the flock size to two smaller flocks or remove the offending chick.

You just have to find the solution that works best for you.

I wish you well,

Rancher