NEED HELP WITH A PECKER.

[bertio]

I have a few 6 - 7 wk old white leghorns and other chicks. One, only one of the young Leghorns is pecking at everyone's beaks.Nothing else, just the beaks.
Someone enlighten me please. Is this going to be a problem?
What's this all about?
Thanks.

 

[KattyKillFish]

it might develop into a bigger problem. i would just watch that one carefully. if he starts getting more aggressive, you might want to give him some peepers (they're like blinders for chickens)

 

[bertio]

Thanks, Peepers for chickens. Ok, I guess that I should get her a little white cane to go with the blinders. Looks like this one's a goner. She'll never be able to get to the water and food. She does have a very pointy beak though. I'll trim a bit off the tip. Just to make sure that she doesn't damage the rest of the kids.

 

[KattyKillFish]

lol they can find their food and water just fine with the blinders. mine seem to like shiny rings, it kinda scared one of my friends today. we were sitting on the lawn watching the babies and my already-mean-little-roo snuck up and pecked her ring. she was like "AAHHH!" and he bolted back into the pen

 

[cw]

hopefully shell grow out of it

 

[KattyKillFish]

that's a really likely possibility. i had a mean one on hatch day that was never mean again afterward. just keep a good eye on them. peepers are a last resort. (for me anyway)

 

[nzpouter]

it's a natural chick behaviour, they peck on the hen's beak to get food.

 

[KattyKillFish]

Quote:
didn't know that! you learn something new every day.

thanks fr posting!

 

[bertio]

Ok, I saw the peepers. It wasn't a newbie thing after all. Like, find me a sky-hook. Makes sense that they peck at their mothers beak for food.
Thanks for the repies. I'll get on the peeper thing. How to attach, since they have no ears?

 

[pafarmgirl]

I had a lot of trouble with my crested polish when they were young. I kept having to separate them from the flock because their heads got pecked so badly, and they would just stand there because they dont see at all well with all those feathers in their faces. It slowed down and then one day I finally realized it had stopped. They get into alot when theyre young!!!!