Sudden Cannibalism

[coffeeaddict]

I have 19 6-7 week old chicks. Two chicks were aggressively feather picking and we removed them to a separate area a couple weeks ago. Everything has been fine since and everyone healed up nicely. The 17chicks are outdoors in a very large run area during the day and at night enclosed in a hardware cloth cage about 4 X 6” with perches. Moved the cage outdoors yesterday so last night was their first day outdoors all night. I let them out a little late slightly after 1pm (normally let them out to roam around 11am). They have food and water in their enclosure however. This morning at 9am they were fine when I checked again a few hours later (around 1pm) about 5 had very bloody tails. Severely pecked and several had bloody beaks from pecking. None of these chicks had been pecking before.

I’ve never had chicks pecking like this in the past 10 years and not sure what we’ve done wrong this time.

They currently eat county feed nutrena medicated chick starter. Then will switch to non medicated after this bag.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like they are overcrowded in their night brooder. I would try to let them outside in the morning earlier, by 8 or 9 if possible. The more things they have to climb on and explore, the better. Some breeds can be a little more aggressive, and they are really establishing a pecking order now.

 

[coffeeaddict]

It sounds like they are overcrowded in their night brooder. I would try to let them outside in the morning earlier, by 8 or 9 if possible. The more things they have to climb on and explore, the better. Some breeds can be a little more aggressive, and they are really establishing a pecking order now.

I’ll definitely do that. Thank you. Also going to rehome a few since we have such limited space in the night enclosure. I put a little pine tar on the damaged tails to try and deter more pecking.