Some back story- I had 29 2 week old chicks all together, and a few nights ago decided to separate them by putting 20 in a larger enclosure. The bigger space seemed to set something off in them- they started chest bumping and flying around. They did finally settle down though and go to sleep.
A couple nights after (last night), I noticed a chick with a red, nearly bare spot right above her tail feathers. The others were pecking at it. I separated her and applied Blu-Kote, and she slept by herself in a box overnight. This morning my husband woke me up saying he saw more bloodied chicks. I discovered 5 more with pecked tails, necks, and one with a pecked back. The pecked chicks all appear to be Welsummers and Speckled Sussexes, and the principal peckers are either Easter Eggers or Olive Eggers.
I tried putting the injured chick from last night in with my faverolles and Orpingtons of the same age, but they also started pecking where I applied the Blu-Kote, so I put her back in the box. I have all 6 of the injured chicks in 2 boxes, where it's dark so they will hopefully not peck each other.
What can I do to discourage this pecking? These chicks are merciless! I read on an older thread where someone suggested putting a toilet paper roll with dots drawn on it in the brooder, which I did, but they haven't shown interest yet. Should I just remove all the Welsummers and Sussexes to their own enclosure? I also worry about them pecking each other, though, since they are nearly all injured now.
A couple nights after (last night), I noticed a chick with a red, nearly bare spot right above her tail feathers. The others were pecking at it. I separated her and applied Blu-Kote, and she slept by herself in a box overnight. This morning my husband woke me up saying he saw more bloodied chicks. I discovered 5 more with pecked tails, necks, and one with a pecked back. The pecked chicks all appear to be Welsummers and Speckled Sussexes, and the principal peckers are either Easter Eggers or Olive Eggers.
I tried putting the injured chick from last night in with my faverolles and Orpingtons of the same age, but they also started pecking where I applied the Blu-Kote, so I put her back in the box. I have all 6 of the injured chicks in 2 boxes, where it's dark so they will hopefully not peck each other.
What can I do to discourage this pecking? These chicks are merciless! I read on an older thread where someone suggested putting a toilet paper roll with dots drawn on it in the brooder, which I did, but they haven't shown interest yet. Should I just remove all the Welsummers and Sussexes to their own enclosure? I also worry about them pecking each other, though, since they are nearly all injured now.