Three week old chicks pecking, making each other bleed, HELP

[Natalijaasbj]

1)Do you have a RED lamp? I have it from the beginning as I heard it dicourages picking because all things look "red"
2) Are they not too crowded? Because 3 weeks olds need more space than 3 days old. We made big brooder in the garage to prevent pecking. And so they can exercise.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Sometimes the only way to stop pecking once it starts at this age is to get them into a much larger space. By three weeks old they need something to do all day and if they are crowded up in a small brooder that's when problems start. By that age mine are spending most of their day in their grow-out pen outside. They scratch, forage and dust/sun bathe to their little hearts content. If the weather is bad they are in their coop with a heat lamp.

 

[onebusymom]

No tha'ts not what I mean. What I have read is that when you have a hen you want to introduce to a flock, I have heard of people dividing their coop with wire so the hens can coexist and see each other but not get at each other. Sorry, I should have more clear. The idea is keeping the chicks in sight of one another but not able to get at each other until they are used to each smells and looks.

That is what I have heard and read as well. I'm about to put it to the test as next week I'm expecting my Wyandottes (just hatched) and will need to integrate them with my 4 week old Cochins and 3 week old Orpingtons. My plan is to put a divider up in my brooder (it's a 6ft long reclaimed dresser). I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Kernel Cluck]

Good luck. I hope all goes well. I have only introduced new hens/chicks once and it went smooth as silk and have not had tot experience all these bad things I have read about on BYC. I do think cafarmgirl is correct. If you can get them out a bit during the day if its warm enough that would help also.

 

[Fawn and Fam]

I had been using a red bulb since I first got our chicks. When they turned about 2 1/2 weeks old they started getting aggressive w/ each other. I changed to a black reptile bulb for night time and the aggression stopped. When I put the red bulb back in for day time they went back to being aggressive. I immediately put the black bulb back in (for good) and there hasn't been anymore aggression. They are about 5 1/2 weeks now.