My baby chicks are flying into each other, and bumping their chests. Does anybody know what's going on?

[Chicky Lover]

Hello everybody! Yesterday my chicks turned one week old. A couple of them fly into each other and bump chests. I have never dealt with chicks before, so I would like some advice on what might be happening.

Here are some pics, these are the chicks that are fighting ( flying into each other, and bumping chests)

 

[Folly's place]

They are establishing their 'pecking order', all normal. How about some pictures of your brooder, it's dimensions, and the number of your chicks. What heat source are you using for them? What feed?
I hope they aren't in your kitchen!!!
Mary

 

[Chicky Lover]

I have six chicks, I have a heat lamp above them on one side, and the are eating chick starter.
No they aren't in my kitchen.

(Pics might be blurry, because I am taking them with my laptop...)
(I turned the heat lamp off so there was no glare)

 

[Folly's place]

They are cute!
That looks like a very small brooder...
Mary

 

[Chicky Lover]

Yes we are limited on supplies, because of the pandemic, so we don't go out much.

Would this feeder be better, for more space?

 

[Folly's place]

You have to use what you have, although you should be able to have supplies delivered to your car instead of going into the store.
Wear a face mask!
Your feeder and waterer are fine for now, and will be outgrown very soon!
Mary

 

[Chicky Lover]

Yes, I know. We have a coop ready for when they are ready to go outside.

 

[Rainwing]

This is normal behavior. Mine turned a week old and it's funny to watch them squabble. One was perched on top of the water tank and then another chick flew up and did a Randy Orton RKO to the poor thing lol.

Looking at your picture, my first batch of chicks was also six and I raised them in a similar sized plastic tote. But you may want to upsize it if you can't move them outside soon because they will outgrow it very quickly and crowding leads to problems. A long feeder would be good for more space, it's what I used to use.

The thing you have to watch out for is if one of them starts bleeding from abusive pecking, then you will have to separate it. It rarely happens, I've raised many chicks without incident, but one batch of chicks (at around 4 weeks old if I recall correctly) I had a broiler who lost her tail overnight through that, because the chicks don't stop pecking when they see blood. It was when they were in the coop. Only discovered the damage the very next morning. She was lucky that she only lost her tail, some people have multiple chicks die from it.

 

[Chicky Lover]

Aww, poor thing.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you have some cardboard lying around you can cobble together a bigger brooder by cutting some up and taping it together to make a bigger box.