My chicken......is chicken!

[MuranoFarms]

I have 9 chicks that hatched the same weekend. Of those 9, 2 are noticeably smaller. The littlest one I kept in the house brooder. When I moved the older ones out, I took the larger of the 2 small ones out with the rest. He's from a pullets egg and ya know...really small egg gave me a small chick who is catching up, but not there yet. Anyway, the last few days I noticed he's been acting spooked every time I go out there. Yesterday I noticed his tail feathers were gone! So I scoop him up and bring him inside with the other little guy and some Bantams. He's bigger then most of them and he's still acting spooked! Every time I let him out he hides. If one of them walks over to him, he runs to the other side of the brooder. Last night I got him out of his hiding place and held him and he scurried up my chest and tucked himself under my chin and started purring or whatever that happy sound is called. I let him sit there for quite awhile. I think he fell asleep. Finally I had to put him back for bed time and he was running away from the rest again.

I really don't want to put him by himself, but I don't want him being afraid all the time either. I have 2, 5 week olds I can put him in with. Maybe I should do that?

Any ideas?

 

[IggiMom]

Try putting him in with the younger ones, but keep an eye. If he is acting like that, they have been picking on him.

Dollars to donuts, if you leave him with the bigger ones, sooner or later they will kill him.

I have no idea why some chicks elicit this behavior, but they do.

That is what I would do, anyway. And he may well be fine when he grows up a little.

Catherine

 

[MuranoFarms]

I think that's exactly what I'm going to do! He's 9weeks, but so scared! On the upside, he prefers human company and will just sit on my lap for hours while I work!
I'll put him in with the 2, 5 week olds when I get back tonight.

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

My hens pulled the tail feathers out of my rooster, and I had to seperate him, for a long time, he still is seperated. The hens are very mean to him, poor baby. Maybe you should try putting him with the younger ones. Also if your hens are eating the feathers then they have a pretein deficiency.