Older Chicks Beating Up New Chick That Is 1 Day Old. Help!

[brendaw]

Hello,

I am a new chick owner and I am frantic as we just brought home on Monday 4 baby chicks that were 2 days old and they are 2 dorkings and 2 Delawares. Today we added a 1 day old
black star and the other 4 chicks are beating him up as in biting and pecking at his wings and feet and they are merciless. Can anybody offer any suggestions? Brenda

 

[artsyrobin]

i'd pull him for a few days, or section an area off where they can see but not touch- they will accept him eventually, but at that young of an age, he is still fragile

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

get the little one a few others the same age and seperate the two groups in a box with wire so they can see and associate.

there isnt much else you can do, it will be too stressful to seperate the one little one all by itself so it will need buddies and older chicks will be like older chickens, peck and beat up the smaller and younger as part of the pecking order.

if you do not seperate they can easily kill the younger chick from ganging up on it.

 

[vetgirl00us]

Yes, you need at least one more the same age or the cheeping will be merciless if you have to sepeerate and stressful on the lone chick. Strange though, I"ve never seen chicks act that mean and still be that close in age. I stagger hatch and constantly put new chicks in with ones up to a week or two older (depending on size) with no problems at all.

 

[PoultryPeeps]

Me too! I just add the new chick or chicks to the box and I have quite a range in there! The older ones are curious at first, but not mean.

 

[brendaw]

Thanks so much for all the replies and we will seperate for a few days and see how it goes. We did notice though when we put them all together in a box that they did not beat him up so it
must be territorial.

Brenda

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I'm sorry this happened cause it really shouldn't have. My last hatch was staggered by 1 wk. I added 3 eggs to a 24 egg hatch to replace the ones that were duds. When they hatched I kept them in the hatcher till I was sure they were eating and drinking and put them in my indoor brooder with the others. They were 1 wk and a couple of days appart. Never had an issue. The older chicks seemed to take care of the little ones. They are all Buff Orpingtons.