Is this normal? need help fast

[StrayMagnet]

I have noticed over the past week that Chick chick is lashing out at one particular Chick.
she is fine and won't bother the chick when they are just muttering around, but once I present food.. she will attack this chick and scare him/her away from the food. all while she dose not go after any of the other chicks. IT's getting to the point where I put food in one spot for all them. and toss some off to the side for the poor chick being attacked.. but then when momma see's food over there she chases him/her off that too and attcks it!

not sure what to do. poor thing has this look of sadness in its face. I may end up having to find someone close to come adopt it. I don't want to see her kill it if she's not gonna stop.

plz help

 

[hawcer]

You could try to raise it in a brooder and then reintroduce it back to the flock when it is older. Maybe add another 1 or 2 chicks for company.

It might end up dead, if that problem continues...

 

[StrayMagnet]

I was thinkin tonight I'm going to go out when they are sleeping and see if this chick is with her or off on its own... I don't have a brooder or the funds to make one rite now. my only option is if she continues to attack this one chick is see if any of our forum members live close enough want to adopt it from me. not sure if it's a roo or hen yet. their what mabey 3 months old now? going on 4 months. but she dose not go after any of the other chicks just this one...


dose the chick at almsot 4 months still need momma? and a brooder?
Everything was fine till recently i'm at a loss.

if it still needs a brooder.. is anyone here in my area. willing to come adopt the chick? at least I will know where it is and could visit it!. I don't want to see it dead

 

[hawcer]

Sorry, I had no idea it was that old....it should be fine by itself, so no momma or brooder is necessary.

I'd try to find it a good home

Another thought:

This doesn't happen to be one of the kids favorites, does it? It could be that since it may be handled more frequently than the rest, the mother is disowning the little guy/girl. Do you notice anything else different about that chick than the others?

maybe you could even separate the mother for awhile from all of the chicks and see if it still gets picked on when you let the ol' mother hen back out. maybe a few days would do it...

 

[Pele]

I'm sorry you're having pecking order problems, those are the worst. To be honest, I wouldn't focus on the submissive chicken as much as the one doing the bullying. It is entirely possible that once you get rid of the unpopular one, she'll find a new 'favorite' to bully. If you are going to get rid of anyone, I'd get rid of the mean bird, not the gentle one.

Something to try before getting rid of birds is to isolate the mean girl. It's called 'chicken jail', and usually is just a crate or a dog pen. You keep her away from the flock for 1 to 2 weeks, then re-introduce her. By that time, she'll be a stranger, and they'll take her down a peg or two. Sometimes this cures the mean chicken of her 'mean-ness", sometimes not.

Good luck!

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
I agree with Pele, move the mean one even if you need to put her/him in a large box for a couple weeks. Make sure it has food and water and nothing else. That should knock it down a peg or two.

 

[Aemelia]

Much earlier on I had a mean one. Whenever it was mean I would put it in isolation for an hour then put it back in. I also make a "beak" with my thumb and index finger and peck anyone that I see being too aggressive. It seems to have kept mine in line.

 

[TigerLilly]

Quote:
I agree with Pele, move the mean one even if you need to put her/him in a large box for a couple weeks. Make sure it has food and water and nothing else. That should knock it down a peg or two.

x3

 

[StrayMagnet]

the probem with Isolating the bully is its their mother!> and they are all still chicks! only 3-4 months old. (i lost track of how old lol). so Would they all be old enough for mom to be removed?
that is the problem.. she is only picking out on one of her baby's.

 

[PtldChick]

They should not need their mother at 3-4 months old. They don't need their mother once they're fully feathered at about 6 weeks! In fact, chicks don't need their mothers at all to survive if they're kept in a brooder until they're feathered out. Otherwise, hatcheries wouldn't exist.

I wonder if there is something 'wrong' or 'different' about this chick that the mother attacks it?

But I agree, isolate the mean one, use a dog crate or something like that, and see if that works. In the meantime, the poor little one being picked on will have a chance to integrate him/herself into the rest of the flock.

Do you have any pictures? At 3-4 months, you should be able to tell the sex of your chicks. If not, members here can help you. You can post them in the Breed/gender area.

Good luck with the mean mother clucker.