vicious chick-help!

[jransmith]

I got 8 Ameraucana chicks (about a week and a half old) this weekend from a farm auction. One of the little darlings is not a darling. It pecks the other chicks very hard. Their little cheeps can be heard throughout the house. And it seems especially interested in backsides. Pecking two other chicks until they were bleeding. I separated it from the the rest. Can I expect it's behavior to get better? Is there anything else I can do?

 

[MagsC]

One of ours was like that, a real bully. I separated it for a while from the others and then when I put it back in, it did better. This is probably not always the case, but it cant hurt to try.

 

[debilorrah]

Get it outta there. Try and integrate that one in a few weeks, but keep your eye on it. You may have to get rid of it.

 

[needmorechickens!]

Do they have free choice chick starter/grower? I only ask because sometimes picking is the result of low protein.

~Rebecca

 

[jransmith]

Yes, they can eat as much as they want. So it's not a "I'm hungry issue." Upsets me greatly that something so cute can be so mean.

 

[Jarhead]

You may want to try and give him something to occupy his time. Small dog or cat toys are good. It really does keep them busy.

 

[CarriBrown]

Try putting a red light in there. For whatever reason, that sometimes calms the naughty ones down.
If that doesn't work, take it out for a few days. The pecking order will re-establish and when you put it back, it will be on the bottom of the order. Hopefully that will give it an attitude adjustment!

 

[EweSheep]

If all else fails, put it down. Had a BAD Welsummer chick that did everything he can imaginable to peck all of his siblings. I finally had enough of it even a week of isolation I put him down.

 

[onthespot]

I just put one down last night. He was about a six week old BC marans. He was already trying to jump his pullet siblings and I picked him up and pet him and I could swear he showed semen and arched his back! He was super dominant from the day he hatched. He was not big enough to eat, and I don't need a roo that agressive from day one. I didn't like to do it, but I did the deed and life is much easier today.