Two week old chick bullying/ stopping others from feeding. Help!

[yallapilko]

I've not had this before in a bird so young. It is a mixed bunch of Texas AM, Goldens, and Pharo, and this is a larger Texas AM but all are the same age. This chick which is only two weeks old is making the threatening noise preceding an attack, then chasing the other chicks away from the food or water. I've not had this before and would like to separate, but I've only got one brooder with a heat source. The bird is fully feathered, apart from its head which still has baby fluff, the rest of the chicks are partially feathered. Is it too soon to remove from heat? Not sure what to do! Any help much appreciated.

 

[eHuman]

Can you put a 2nd food and water on the opposite side of the brooder, as far away from each other as possible?

 

[Sill]

Are these chicks all the same age? Was some of the chicks newly introduced? Ideally they do best reared together with hatch-mates and kept together for life. It keeps aggression minimal. Don't mix different aged chicks.

That said, I would cull this chick, especially if it's drawn blood. Don't tolerate aggressive quail and definitely don't breed it as temperament is hereditary just like color and feather pattern.

 

[yallapilko]

Thanks EHuman and Sil. The chicks are all the same age, but they were of mixed type, some Golden, Some Texas AM, some Pharo, and some Jumbo and some are not. Thankfully by the evening it had calmed down and is no longer bullying. I moved the water and the food (I switched their places) so that it confused him/her a little bit. Enough it seems! All is now calm!

 

[Binki]

If some kinds of animals are showing an aggressive/territorial behaviour, doing what you did - moving the territory around - can snap them out of that state. Works with fish too

But yeah... Wouldn't pass that bloodline along..!

 

[yallapilko]

Thanks Binki. It quickly snapped out of it, but is a male, so it will not be bred from.