more urgent help! new hatch chick attacking others

[yallapilko]

Hi,
I had my first chick hatch this morning at 9am, since then, as more chicks have hatched , this one has gone around and is viciously attacking the others! It started off mildly, then it saw one newly hatching and pulled really hard at its wing, the second it was hatched, then began pecking its eyes! It had spend the rest of the day pecking at the other eggs and feet of other chicks... I've got about 20 more eggs to go, they are not due until Saturday!! But this one seems really vicious. What should I do!!!!!! I'm afraid it will damage the others. Why is it doing this?

 

[sourland]

Chicks pick/peck. It's what they do. Eyes, toes, wing tips are frequent targets. It rarely results in injury to the other chicks.

 

[FenDruadin]

Keep your eye on it. At that size they're unlikely to injure one another, as long as they're all roughly the same age. But if it gets worse or if there are injuries, the chick may have something wrong with it and may either need intervention or to be culled. Most likely, though, as the hatching hormones and all level out, it will settle down. Keep us updated!

 

[yallapilko]

Thanks for your advice.
It was more than just curious pecks. It was going all out to hurt the others. And the one it attacked when hatching still has one eye closed because of the pecking....
I've now put it in the brooder and its running around very vigorously and chirruping, it's not settled at all and is VERY energetic.

 

[chrishel]

We had a chick like that and we named him Pokey. He turned out to be the only male in my small hatch (4 total). When he became mature, he totally scalped and blinded one of the hens and we had to put her down. We came home and it looked like a horror movie in the cage. Unfortunately, the hen was my daughter's favorite and she came running up to see her as I was assessing the damage. I put him in isolation after that and the remaining two hens had a really spoiled life.

I'm not saying this one will turn out that way. I really hope not, but I would definitely watch it as it matures and the hormones start going.

Since then, I've seen other aggression and wing pulling, in chicks but it tends to clear up after the first day and don't see it again.

 

[yallapilko]

Chrishel, Thanks for your reply. I really hope the chick doesn't turn out like that one! I hope it will settle down, but it also seems so much bigger than the rest. It is less energetic than earlier, so maybe it's settling down.

 

[FenDruadin]

If it does seem to settle down, don't wait too long to re-introduce to the other chicks. We had one hatch several days before the others, and when they came along, it was TERRIFIED of the new THINGS we put in the brooder with it. Good luck!

 

[yallapilko]

Ah how sweet! Poor thing! I've just had 5 more hatch (it's been a busy day), so I'll re-introduce it as soon as possible. Thanks for the advice!