putting baby rooster in time out.

[keds45]

Hi! I have 4 chicks all 3-4 weeks old. One is most likely a rooster, and he/she is creating havoc in the brooder (old guinea pig cage). He/she pecks, chases and bullies the others. So I put him in an old dog crate near the brooder area so he'll stlll be warm (he pretty much already has all his feathers). I'm thinking that if I reintroduce him in a couple of days he will be the new chicken and that wil help balance out the agression? Any in put is helpful. For now peace has been restored. I'll have a place for Rooster to go when he's a bit older, but for now I have to make the best of it.

The cage is around 7 square feet, but half of it is a little house that the chicks aren't using yet. The temp in one corner is arounf 80 when i checked it yesterday.

 

[teach1rusl]

At 3-4 weeks, I'd be hesitant to label one a bully. They are most likely just working out pecking order, and this one happens to be the most assertive one (unless blood is being drawn, which doesn't happen often with chicks). My little ones are doing a LOT of fronting, and I do notice one that is the most assertive. But after the initial "attack" (which isn't truly an attack in my chick's case), when the other runs off, he/she runs off and plays or pecks around a bit...doesn't continue going after the other. Watch them closely for a little while and see if that's the case with yours. I hate to think of a chick that young being isolated...

 

[keds45]

Thanks! No blood drawn yet, but thats what I am worried about. I'll put him/her back and continue to watch closely!

What if there is blood?

 

[teach1rusl]

Well I'd be shocked if a chick would actually draw blood, because then I WOULD think something was wrong with that chick. Yeah, if it's cornering another chick and just going to town pecking, pecking, pecking, then I'd separate it. But as long as it's PECK - "I got the best of you! I'm king of the mountain!!" - run off and play or eat - then challenge someone else, I'd leave them be.

 

[galanie]

Panic in the Disco!

 

[keds45]

The Roosterish chick does seem like he's getting pretty rough on the others and it makes me kinda nervous, but then I don't have tons of experience to draw on. They're all bedded down together for the night, no one seems any worse for wear --we'll see what tomorrow brings! (But Mamma will be watching....)