Weird chick behavior...

[kemclaughlin]

So my chicks were fighting and bored so I put a bunch of stuff in the brooder for them and they are much happier! I found a bunch of ideas on other threads.

I have two Aracaunas that are nearly 4 weeks old. One of them is kind of mean. I am pretty sure she is a pullet and she picks on everyone and tries to bite and is generally unpleasant. Is this normal? The other Aracauna seems to have adopted the two baby Aracaunas that are almost a week old. She lets them sleep under her wings and they hide under her. Is this normal? Is she going to smother them? Is she going to be a pain in the toucas broody hen who tries to kill us when we collect eggs?

I am really attached to my little guy that I am pretty sure is going to be a rooster and we won't be able to keep him. Boo.

 

[Judy]

Don't give up yet, might just be pecking order behaviors. And I wouldn't worry about broodiness at this age either. Besides, it's really not hard to get eggs out from under even a pecking broody. I just hold the head aside with one hand and reach with the other; actually not so much hold as kind of shield it. She wants to peck the egg hand, not the head hand; it can be done very gently.