Rejected baby chicks attacking each other

[dinojays]

I am having trouble with the baby chicks I hatched out in the hatchery - initially I put them with the broody hen who had hatched 7 eggs successfully, we placed the hatchery chicks in at night time with the broody and thought everything was going well they had spent 2 nights with the other chicks and broody mum. Today while watching them feed I noticed the broody attacked the introduced chicks everytime they went towards the food. We removed the 2 chicks and put them together in a brooder and then one of the chicks started to constantly peck at the other chicks eye! Can anybody suggest what has gone wrong! We have now had to seperate the 2 chicks within the brooder they are only 2 days old today!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

then one of the chicks started to constantly peck at the other chicks eye!

Hi, welcome to BYC!

That isn't aggression. Most likely the chick is pecking at something it sees.. kinda like grooming. Sometimes they get a toe fascination and keep pulling the other babe of its' feet.

 

[dinojays]

Hi
Just wondering if we can put them back together, the pecking chick constantly went for the others eye and grabbed on which is why we seperated them, i read that maybe seperate for a day or two and try again

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings dinojays,

I had some chicks hatch out in September. The first chick to hatch spent about two hours alone. Then, two other chicks hatched. The first chick immediately started to peck at one of the two chick's eyes. It wandered around in the temporary brooder, chirping and seeking out the one chick, to peck it's eyes. The three chicks were together for another five hours. During that time, I put a mirror and some shiny ribbons for the chick to peck at. But, it was only interested in the eyes of it's sibling. That evening they were transferred to the broody hen. Thankfully, she accepted them and seven more.

That chick quickly adjusted to being with the broody and it's siblings. I believe it was experiencing some type of anxiety. It never pecked any of it's siblings again.

Another keeper I know, had a similar issue with two chicks that had their mother and siblings killed by a predator. One pecked at the other, consistently. That keeper finally put the two chicks in a brooder with a large feather duster. The two chicks calmed down and hid inside the feather duster (their surrogate mama).

If you can't find a broody to accept the two chicks, perhaps a feather duster is worth a try.

I hope I have been helpful.

God Bless

 

[dinojays]

Thanks Hen Pen Jem
I have tried them together again but it is instant attack to the eye of the other chick - anxiety is probably part of the problem as the broody rejected them both. How much could a baby chick hurt another baby chick? Just worried about injuries, frustrating as I've never seen this before with baby chicks - I can only hope tomorrow is a new day with calmer attitudes.