I have six chicks that are 2 1/2 weeks old. They "should" all be pullets [but we know how that sometimes goes . . . ] and consist of two Barred Rocks, two Buff Orpingtons, one Ameraucana and one Delaware.
The rest have all settled in nicely but the Delaware seems either stand-offish or fearful, I can't tell which. It's not unusual for me to find her sleeping off on her own and - 20 minutes later - she's playing "chase me - chase me" with the rest. For a while I was worried she was sick but she eats well, drinks well, plays hard, and has good looking poops [a rather odd thing to say!].
In the first week, I'd place my hand in the brooder with food and they would all come and eat from my hand. Recently, the Delaware has begun to hang back when I put my hand in the brooder. She'd wait and then run up and peck/bite my finger, not the food. I thought she was excited or confused. Asked my husband to try and she did the same thing to him. I did it again this morning and made sure the food was in one part of my hand and she ran up and snagged the other part of my hand! The message I'm getting from her - at least in my mind - is "Drop the food so I can eat it, I don't want to eat from your hand".
Anyone have any insight as to the personality of Delaware chicks? Could the Barred Rocks and the Ameraucana be too much for her, possibly they're intimidating her? They're so very active that it's hard for anyone else to keep up with them.
The rest have all settled in nicely but the Delaware seems either stand-offish or fearful, I can't tell which. It's not unusual for me to find her sleeping off on her own and - 20 minutes later - she's playing "chase me - chase me" with the rest. For a while I was worried she was sick but she eats well, drinks well, plays hard, and has good looking poops [a rather odd thing to say!].
In the first week, I'd place my hand in the brooder with food and they would all come and eat from my hand. Recently, the Delaware has begun to hang back when I put my hand in the brooder. She'd wait and then run up and peck/bite my finger, not the food. I thought she was excited or confused. Asked my husband to try and she did the same thing to him. I did it again this morning and made sure the food was in one part of my hand and she ran up and snagged the other part of my hand! The message I'm getting from her - at least in my mind - is "Drop the food so I can eat it, I don't want to eat from your hand".
Anyone have any insight as to the personality of Delaware chicks? Could the Barred Rocks and the Ameraucana be too much for her, possibly they're intimidating her? They're so very active that it's hard for anyone else to keep up with them.
