Pecking order or problem?

[LindseyC]

We got chicks on Monday that were 5-6 days old. 2 EE, 1 Barred Rock, and 1 Black Australorp. They were all doing great. The Barred Rock is quite a bit smaller but she is doing great and doesn't let the others push her around. One of my EE is yellow, and the rest are dark. My other EE is brown and up until this morning, they were all getting along great. This morning I noticed the brown EE pecking at the yellow EE. The brown one isn't picking on the others, and the others aren't picking on the yellow one. The yellow one acts normal-ish. She's walking fine, not wobbly, turns her neck fine.. but she's not as active as the others. She hasn't been eating or drinking this morning other than just a few quick bites earlier. When she's out from under the heating pad, she almost stands with her neck drawn in like she's roosting. She flapped her wings and jumped on top of the heating pad as she's done before but she's just not acting 100%. I'm feeding chick starter and they have Nutri Drench in their water. Could this be due to the brown EE picking at her, or do you think she's picking at her because there's something wrong? I even thought that maybe it was because she was the odd man out, so to speak being yellow. This is the first go at having chicks/chickens and I have t leave for class in a couple of hours and I'm worried about her. They are currently in an 18 x 24 moving box with sand and plenty of food and water, and we're using the EcoGlow heating pad. We are getting 2 Buff Orpingtons this afternoon and my husband is going to build a larger brooding box this weekend. I don't have any way to separate them due to only having one way to heat the little fluff butts.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

No, pecking order isn't an issue at this age... but failure to thrive can be.

Cocci takes 4-6 days to present... could be a possibility... if she WAS eating and drinking.

Otherwise... making sure she knows how to drink and maybe crushing the feed a little extra.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Also... why sand? That isn't a good choice in my experience... it doesn't dry out very fast.

 

[LindseyC]

I read a lot of people that recommended using sand in the brooder box on here. The hubs is going by the feed supply to get our 2 Buffs, so should I be using something else? I have been scooping poop and stuff daily. It seems to clump pretty well. I'm assuming she knows to drink and eat because she was in there with the rest of them until this morning.

 

[oregonkat]

I read a lot of people that recommended using sand in the brooder box on here. The hubs is going by the feed supply to get our 2 Buffs, so should I be using something else? I have been scooping poop and stuff daily. It seems to clump pretty well. I'm assuming she knows to drink and eat because she was in there with the rest of them until this morning.

I would get some pine shavings. Also, because the chicks are so messy and wasteful with their feed, I take some feed put it in a bowl, add water and make a mash out of it. They may take a while to take to it but mine gobble it up and it saves a lot. Dont take away the dry completely but just dont fill your feeder and make sure they have some chick grit mixed in with it. Perhaps take the chick and give her vitamin water from a syringe to make sure she is getting enough. Also check to make sure she does not have pasty butt, this can make a chick very unhappy in a hurry. Good luck!

 

[LindseyC]

Thank you! I will have him pick up some pine shavings today and I'll try the mash stuff. I've checked her butt. She's good. That was the first thing I checked.

 

[moniquem]

Those EE!! I got 2 last weekend, a dark one and yellow one. I've named them Regina and Gretchen from the movie "Mean Girls" because they are bossy and pecky, especially the yellow one. I'm hoping they grow out of it

 

[oregonkat]

Thank you! I will have him pick up some pine shavings today and I'll try the mash stuff. I've checked her butt. She's good. That was the first thing I checked.

When making the mash initially, try with warm water, they seem to take to it quicker when it is warm. You can mix other stuff in it too, I sometimes put a chopped up boiled egg in and a little bit of coconut oil. They love it! Oh, and you are going to have to raise it up a little, and your water dispenser if you are using the tray kind as the chicks love to kick and scratch up the pine shavings which makes the water un useable very quickly. This is the downside to the pine shavings. I put mine up on a piece of plywood on top of the shavings so the chicks cannot scratch immediately around the feed/water station. Hope all this helps!

 

[LindseyC]

Thank you all! I got a marshmallow fluff lid and made some mash. Then I read where I should warm it, so I went out and got it and remade it with warm water. They are eating it up. The yellow one even took a couple of nibbles. She seems to be a tad more active. I'm hoping as the day goes on, I'll see her acting more like her old self. I'll definitely have him get some shavings today and try that. At least that'll give me another option. Thanks again for the suggestions! I'm off to class.. keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[LindseyC]

I just got home and checked on them. She's acting fine.. she's eating and being a brat. That's what I wanted to see! Thanks again for the suggestions!