What to do with a "bully"

[Loghousemom]

I picked up 5 little chicks last week. 1 Buckeye, 1 welsummer, and 3 Cochins. Most things seem to be well, but I have one little Cochin chick that is really mean to the others. She pecked one near the vent till she was bleeding, I separated the injured and cleaned up her pastey butt thinking that was the issue. Well the next day she seemed to be pecking another. I moved them into a larger box. And they seemed fine for a few days, but yesterday she started pecking on everyone. She pecks 1 near the eyes. And 2 others on their vents. I noticed yesterday she was pecking The last one on her feet.

I have tried separating her, but she gets very upset, runs around making noise because she wants to be in with the rest.

Do you think I should move them into a bigger box again? I also added a few sticks and things to use as roosts. I've been giving them a littlew bit of sand to scratch around in and have taken them outside for short periods while I clean their box.

Is there something else I should be doing to keep her from picking on everyone? Is it a good idea to leave her separate? I don't want her to injure anyone else.

 

[1muttsfan]

The more room the better. Remember that they will all stay in the area of warmth, so a bigger box with only a small area of heat will not solve your problem. I would separate that little miss too, for a few days if possible - maybe section off a part of the brooder so that she can see and hear the other chicks but not come in contact with them.

 

[Loghousemom]

Thanks for the advice!


I had her in her own box for a bit and she was so loud and running around like crazy so I decided to put her back in with the rest. Now I have her seperate from them with just a metal cooling rack between them. She keeps trying to get them through the "fence"

I have a large wardrobe box I've been preparing for them at our other house so I sent the husband on a run to go pick it up today. I maybe will need to find a way to hook up another heat lamp for them though then. I don't think the one I am using will be enough to heat that whole bigger box.

I guess I should have not brought those extra two chicks home. (I went to get 3 and came home with 5 because I felt bad leaving two babies behind they were so snuggly at the store.) But it's one of the "bonus" chicks that is mean.

They seem fine when I get them outside so I suppose it could be a combination of needing more space and more to do. Hmmm, time to find a way to hookup my spare heat lamp.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Darken their environment. Try having the heat lamp, red, the only light available in any otherwise dark room. It often helps a lot. Bright light can zoo them up and increase pecking issues.

http://www.ansteyhatchery.ca/dualfeedinst.html

 

[Loghousemom]

Thanks Fred! I think I will try that with the new larger box. Right now I do have them where they get a decent amount of light during the day so maybe that is the problem. I just wanted to keep them close enough to check on them often.