Naughty new chick!

[corvidae]

I had to open the incubator this morning to get one of the new chicks out (I snatched all 9 out while I was there, having my son mist the inside quickly with warm water). The naughty one was the first one to hatch and it seemed to have the overwhelming urge to peck at every other egg that tried to hatch. At first I thought it was sort of trying to help the others, but then it started pecking at the new ones and knocking them over onto their backs when they first came out of the shell. They looked like a bunch of turtles stuck on their backs and gave some lovely ear-piercing screeches to let me know their lungs were sound. I hope I didn't hurt any of the others when I went in to do the retrieval--none of the others had pipped that I could see and two more have hatched since then. I've checked on Naughty Chick's behavior in the brooder with the other 7 retrieved at the same time and had my son check while I am here at work and it seems to have stopped pecking at the others. Is it normal for them to do that while in the incubator?

 

[kathyinmo]

Yes it is normal. They will peck at each other's toes and eyes, and so forth, until they figure out it is not food. Pecking order also starts in the brooder.