In need of help!?

[qwerty1234]

Ok so I have 2 Australorps and 2 wyandotte chicks that are about 4 weeks old. I had a friend who decided to buy a polish chick and a silkie chick and has decided she no longer wants to care for them. They're probably less than a week old. I decided to take them off her hands and put them with my other 4 chicks. 3 of them get along fine but one of my Australorps is constantly attacking them. How should I handle this? Should I leave them and hope they sort it out without any injuries or should I seperate the baby chicks into my smaller brooder until they get a bit older?

 

[Pork Pie]

I'd separate them for the time being

CT

 

[N F C]

x2 on @CTKen 's reply. Keep them separated but where they can see each other. Because the Polish and silkie are so different looking than your Wyandotte and Austalorp birds, you may need to always keep them separate.

 

[aart]

I would try putting the bully in 'chick jail'.
I made a hardware cloth 5 sided 'box' to put over a mean chick right in the brooder.
It's about 5 1/2" x 9" x 6" tall and you just put the mean chick under there for an hour or so at a time.
Might be too small and lightweight to contain a 4 week old tho.





You could also split your brooder with a wire wall and put opening large enough for the tiny's but too small for the olders, creating a refuge fr the tiny's to hide out in.

 

[3riverschick]

Ok so I have 2 Australorps and 2 wyandotte chicks that are about 4 weeks old. I had a friend who decided to buy a polish chick and a silkie chick and has decided she no longer wants to care for them. They're probably less than a week old. I decided to take them off her hands and put them with my other 4 chicks. 3 of them get along fine but one of my Australorps is constantly attacking them. How should I handle this? Should I leave them and hope they sort it out without any injuries or should I seperate the baby chicks into my smaller brooder until they get a bit older?

Get rid of the newcomers via craigslist. everything was fine before they showed up.
Best,
Karen

 

[azygous]

Karen's got a great option for you to consider! You aren't obligated to adopt your irresponsible friend's cast off chicks. Someone living near you may be very happy to take these babies.

 

[AuntNomi]

I would try putting the bully in 'chick jail'.
I made a hardware cloth 5 sided 'box' to put over a mean chick right in the brooder.
It's about 5 1/2" x 9" x 6" tall and you just put the mean chick under there for an hour or so at a time.
Might be too small and lightweight to contain a 4 week old tho.





You could also split your brooder with a wire wall and put opening large enough for the tiny's but too small for the olders, creating a refuge fr the tiny's to hide out in.

This is what I do to a bully chick, I use an old milk crate I have. Works very well for me.