my chicken is being wierd

[faty lump is #1 chicken]

my baby chicken is 3 weeks old and they are loseing the baby poof and one of the chickens would root around and then the others would start to peck at her. this is my first time raiseing chickens so if you have any idea please help me

 

[Chicky Mama]

if they're pickin on it seperate it,it usually gets worse than better.Though they don't really have a pecking order yet ,she mite be on the bottom of it. If it bleeds you'll really have a problem if they get a taste.Chickens have canibal tendencies. Good Luck

 

[LauraSBale]

the other chick, is she trying to stay warm, i have seen where they try to go up under the other chick wings for warmth

 

[faty lump is #1 chicken]

She actually lays down in the shavings on her side and digs with her body til she is almost covered with shavings. Then the other chickens come over to her and start to pick or peck at her body, like they are trying to get the shavings off??? She doesn't seem to mind them doing this? But it just seems concerning.:

 

[flakey chick]

She wants a dust bath. Put a small bin of loose dirt in with them. Some of the other chicks may join in. My guess is the other chicks see "something" moving around in the shavings that might be food so they instinctively peck at it.

 

[PortageGirl]

yep, this isn't agression, they're just learning to be chickens!

 

[SunshineSilkies]

She's wanting to take a dust bath!!! Put a little sand in with her. She will love it!

 

[Darlasmum]

I agree with the other posts- shes looking for a dust bath. At 5 wks old it was warm enough during the day to have the chicks out in their run- and watching them dust bathe was hilareous. The BOs would get so dirty you couldnt tell their original color! It was still too cool and they were too small to leave out at night, so I ferried them back and forth from the house in a cat carrier.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

YEP - trying to dust bath and the others are just cleaning the stuff off. They will peck off poo off each other's feet too.

They like peat moss as well. Is your brooder big enough to put in a little box or even a bowl that would sit in there stable.

What is shocking to see the first time, is when they're sunbathing. They will flatten out in the grass on one side with one leg up and one down. They look dead - but only soaking up the sun.

Enjoy your little ones.

 

[Amethyste]

ooo the first time i saw them dustbathign outside I scared the daylights out of them when i ran over thinking it was a seizure

I was almost in tears thinking they had gotten into something...

silly birds