Should I be worried?

[Mommysongbird]

our four 6 week old roos are 'fighting' while still in the brooder, should I be concerned or is this just play??

I don't have a way to seperate them and we will be gone for a few hours this AM. They were kinda like this yesterday, but weren't as rowdy. Our coop may not be finished until Saturday if the rain and storms hold out.

What to do????

 

[Blue_Myst]

If they aren't physically harming each other, I wouldn't worry about it. Chicks get more rowdy at six weeks, i.e., chasing each other and jumping into each other. It's all normal behavior. When someone is clearly getting beaten up is when you have to do something. At the first sign of blood, I would separate, even if it was just a cardboard box until the coop gets finished.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Just leave them and finish the coop asap. My chicks are 5 weeks old and have started figuring out the pecking order recently. As long as everyone has room to get away they should be find. My chicks will be moving out to the big coop on Monday. They aren't on the heat lamp anymore, so its time. Good luck!

 

[Mommysongbird]

Ours 'weaned' themselves from the heat lamp WEEKS ago. The bulb went out and since we were in the middle of remodeling our dining room everything in the house is not where it should be

so we couldn't find the new bulb to replace. It was getting warmer out, only had a few cool nights, but not cold enough for the heat lamp.

They aren't physically harming one another, just more chest bumping, chasing and pecking and the LOUD noises!

Was hoping to get something done on the coop tonight, but it looks like it will be storming by the time hubby gets home from work.

Wish I could get it done myself, but I can't.

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

I had that happening, and I pulled out the instigator, and put him in a separate cage for 24 hours. After being lonely, he decided to be friends with everyone after that, and I haven't had that issue since.

 

[Mommysongbird]

Quote:

I would love to be able to do that, but there are several problems with that.

1. I don't have extra waterers and feeders
2. I don't have anything to put him in
and
3. I don't really know who the REAL instigator is!

The 4 that we KNOW are roos, all kind stand off at each other and then the chest bumping starts.

 

[Judy]

Really, the solution is to get them outdoors. Maybe you can find a way to take them outside for a while each day, if nothing else.

 

[buckboy101]

It will help to get them in the coop, but also... that is just normal

 

[Mommysongbird]

Quote:
They can go outside but they still have to stay in the brooder, but they are calm until the train comes by.

With all the rain though it has been hard to even get them outside in the brooder. I am just praying the rain holds off tomorrow and we can get the coop finished.

All that we need to do is put up the side walls, the back clean out door, the last piece of the fence on one side of the run, under the coop and the coragated roofing and we will be done!!!!!