This is my first post and we're first timers with 8 straight run Austra White chicks. They are 16 days old today.
I will admit that the babies seemed to grow much faster than we expected. Heck on day two, they arrived from a local breeder with wing feathers already budding out.
As they grew, we discovered a major bully in the bunch who would peck at everyone. Some of the wounds were getting pretty nasty and I don't think anyone except the bully was spared. Plus, once there was a hint of read on those pristine white feathers, none of the peeps could resist taking a poke.
We had a run of warm weather and were able to get the peeps into the back yard which, of course, stopped the pecking and allowed wounds to heal. But bringing them back in at night would result in more pecking.
So last night before I brought the flock in, I was wondering what the morning carnage would look like. Needless to say I was worried and kept pouring over what might be different outside. Outside, they weren't caged in any way but they still stuck to an area about as big as they used inside so it wasn't space.. I was stumped.
Our solution - I had two round chunks of sod from our un-treated lawn left from planting lilac bushes that I brought inside last night. Not a single open wound this morning!
The pieces are only about the size of a dinner plate, but had enough grass and weeds to re-direct their pecking to someplace constructive.
I will admit that the babies seemed to grow much faster than we expected. Heck on day two, they arrived from a local breeder with wing feathers already budding out.
As they grew, we discovered a major bully in the bunch who would peck at everyone. Some of the wounds were getting pretty nasty and I don't think anyone except the bully was spared. Plus, once there was a hint of read on those pristine white feathers, none of the peeps could resist taking a poke.
We had a run of warm weather and were able to get the peeps into the back yard which, of course, stopped the pecking and allowed wounds to heal. But bringing them back in at night would result in more pecking.
So last night before I brought the flock in, I was wondering what the morning carnage would look like. Needless to say I was worried and kept pouring over what might be different outside. Outside, they weren't caged in any way but they still stuck to an area about as big as they used inside so it wasn't space.. I was stumped.
Our solution - I had two round chunks of sod from our un-treated lawn left from planting lilac bushes that I brought inside last night. Not a single open wound this morning!
The pieces are only about the size of a dinner plate, but had enough grass and weeds to re-direct their pecking to someplace constructive.
