Roost bars and fighting

[CowgirlPenny]

Do you have any in your brooder? I put one in yesterday. At first, no takers. But this morning the ones that I *think* are roo's were all sitting on it. It's like the others just stay on the ground and don't even notice it.

Is this a sign? lol


Also, when does chasing/pecking become an issue? One of my Australorps, and one of the Production reds are really mean to the others. They will chase them away, and I'm not even really sure what they are chasing them from since the mean one wasn't eating food or anything. I often hear chaos break out during the day when one of the two are up to no good. I havent seen any feathers laying around, so is this normal pecking order?

 

[CoyoteMagic]

My biggest meanest chicken was a hen named Broomhilda. Roosting and picking on others has nothing to do with the sex of your chicks, it has to do with pecking order. It's not an issue until blood is drawn

 

[Judy]

Sounds like they need to be settled down a little, if possible. You didn't give a lot of information. If they are indoors and 2 or 3 weeks old I would probably remove the light entirely, especially if it is white. You could try adding another roost. It also sound like they need more space. If at all possible, I would get them outdoors, even if only for a short period, on grass or dirt if you can.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

No blood at all, so I guess that's good then.


Ok, I have asked multiple times about the light (since I need to keep them inside without the light for my trip, but looks like that's not possible) and was scolded for asking if they could go without a light. Now I'm confused. They have a white light, its only 125 angled towards the wall, and their brooder is pretty dark on the left so they definitely have room to walk to the other end and rest away from the light.


I just sat and observed them for a few minutes. The two that always start it, will raise their wings almost as if they are going to fly and then they run across the brooder. Maybe they aren't chasing them?

Today was the only day that it was warm enough, but way too windy. I can put them outside for a little bit in the day in a baby/toddler play gate that I have, but not with the wind we had today. They will be three weeks old Monday.

 

[motoclown]

I have little roosts put in my brooder, and a little ramp, that I built.
Mine are two weeks old today, give or take a day.
My objective was to keep them busy and happy.
You can check out my coop#3 on my page for more pics.

 

[teach1rusl]

Mine will be three weeks on Monday as well (plus I have two in there a week younger). Depending on what temps you keep your house at, I would start turning the lamp off a few hours during the day. Do you have access to a red bulb? Pet stores (in the lizard section) sell lower wattage red bulbs). I turn my bulb back on in the evening, through the night, and then turn it off once it starts warming up outside (because the house gets warmer by then). If you work, you could use a lamp timer to do this for you. Although technically the temp should be around 80 degrees at this age, a few hours of house temps (usually about 70) won't hurt them, and will start getting them use to outdoor temps. I just started taking mine outside to their coop (inside the housing only - too windy here too yesterday) w/a lamp for several hours. Gave me a chance to clean the brooder, and gave them more space to explore. They loved it (after the first hour...lol...because they were scared initially).

The running and flapping that you described is just energy, exercise, and practice - not being mean. And some of the chaos you may be hearing might be someone getting stepped on, chasing after whoever has the piece of wood chip, etc. Unless you SEE someone being obviously mean, I wouldn't assume that's the case.