MEAN baby chick and social graces?

[Spinster_Sister]

I just finishing hatching 13 Easter Egger chicks...all beautiful and healthy, but I have one little female (already feathering on wings) that is a menace! All she does is peck at eyes, pull and shake toes, wings and anywhere else. She loves to plow through gatherings and chasing. She is only two days old!
Now, I have her in chick jail...a small box with mesh sides inside the brooder with everyone. The other chicks are so much happier and quiet with her in the box and all gather around the box knowing that she is in there.

I know that I cannot teach her manners, but how should I raise her up with everyone else? Should I just let her terrorize everyone when she wants? I am pretty sure that her temperment will not be the same (at least I hope not) when she matures, but what about now?

Do or did you ever have a bully chick? How did you handle it?

 

[pkw]

I had some easter egger chicks that I bought as week olds and I also bought some week new hampshire chicks from the same breeder. The easter eggers were nice to the new hampshire chicks for the first few weeks and then they started being a menace always starting fights with the new hampshires and they pecked at the new hampshires all the time. Well I got rid of them and after that the new hampshires was back at peace again.

I must mention also that of the 12 easter egger chicks I had, 11 of those appeared to be young cockerels because the place I bought them from doesn't know how to sex them until they are 4 weeks old or older.

 

[gryeyes]

I have one now. I suspect it's a cockerel - it's a Golden Sebright, so who knows when I'll find out what sex it is! However, s/he has mellowed out a bit - must have gotten it settled that s/he's in charge. No more pecking hard enough to pull feathers out, make the others squeal A LOT, or leaps across the brooder to kick the heck out of the other chicks.

The other 3 are: Silver Sebright (a wuss, comparatively), a Delaware and an EE (both pullets).

Early on, I would thunk it on the top of the head with a forefinger when I saw it being a bully. I dunno if that was what solved it or not. I just think everybody has decided it's in their best interest to let that Golden Sebright be the boss of the brooder.

Now the pecks are much lighter, more controlling than nasty.

 

[tammyd57]

Quote:
OMG! That is TOO cute! He's got everyone in the corner hiding their faces from him and he's standing there going "Whut?!? You talkin' to me?!?!"

 

[LauraG]

Even squaking in the photo, hilarious.....

Looks like you will have a handful with that one

 

[lakeontariochicks]

Spinster Sister, just wondering how your "bully" chick is doing?

I have one of those, it is 5 days old, and is going crazy running all over the brooder terrorizing everyone else....I was wondering if I should separate it from the rest for a while. I may do that, just so they can get some rest!
I am assuming that that chick is going to be head honcho, oh boy I can't wait to see what happens when it comes time to combine my two flocks, maybe it will get its butt kicked by my older girls, lol!
Then again, maybe it's a he!