Pecking One Another

[Quigley]

I am a complete newbie, so I'll apologize if this is obvious. I did take a chicken class and thought I did my homework.

My chicks are 1 week 3 days old. I came home today to find two with bloody backends from being pecked. I immediately separated them.

What do I do? Are they too crowded? Hot? Cold? Bored? I have let them go out in the grass on warmer and dry days but it has been raining and is cold (40ish) so I've kept them in a swimming pool in the house under the heatlamps, so I can possibly imagine boredom. I'd love some advice from more someone more experienced. Thanks.

 

[gumpsgirl]

There is so much to learn about poultry that I don't think a class would cover it all, so don't feel like you didn't do your homework.

That's what we are all here for anyways. To help!

The pecking issue wouldn't be caused by temps. It's either that they are over crowded (which is most likely the case) or they just need the heat lamp bulbs changed to red ones. How many chicks do you have in the plastic pool and what size is the pool?

 

[Quigley]

Thank you!

I was moving them between a small kiddie pool (about 3' across) and a rubbermaid bin (3' long X 18" wide). The bin is the smaller of the two, but they can't jump out because the sides are higher. I move them into one while I wash out and clean the other. I am only using newspaper on the bottom. I have 12. I am only using a regular light, not a colored one. I have been thinking they might be cold because they are snuggling together more. A red light might help? Can I get that at the harware store or do I need to go to the feed store?

Would it be problematic to spread them out into 3 or 4 bins when I then bring them together in the coop? It all seemed so simple sitting in class!

 

[gumpsgirl]

If they are huddling together then they are more than likely to cold.

The red light will help with the pecking, but not the heat. What wattage is your current light bulb? I use a 250 watt red bulb from that I bought from TSC. If the bulb you are already using is a 250 watt bulb, then try lowering the heat lamp more if you can do so safely.

I'm sure the class that you took helped, but there is so much to learn about poultry that you would never be able to learn it all in a class.