Chick has developed fixation with waterer and trying to eat out of it

[akitafriendakita]

One of my chicks has become obsessed with the waterer, he likes to run up and kick at the waterer until a piece of food or whatever else falls off his foot and then he bites it out of the water. It's not a big deal and the chick seems fine, but I would prefer that he starts eating food normally because obviously his weird fixation seems like a waste of time and energy/might cause him to drink too much water.

Any ideas how to break this habit? He just darts for the waterer when he sees it and starts his kicking routine. Right now I've just been removing the waterer for short periods of time to see if that helps. Maybe offering mash [since he seems to like wet food] temporarily so maybe he fixates on that instead?

 

[Alexandra Runner]

It sounds to me like he has bonded to it, like he would with a mama hen. I would change the waterer so it doesn't develop further.

 

[akitafriendakita]

It sounds to me like he has bonded to it, like he would with a mama hen. I would change the waterer so it doesn't develop further.

Thank you, I'll grab a new waterer tomorrow, he has already grown fixated on two different waterers now. Lol! It almost seems like he's doing it because he just likes eating food that way, but I never considered that he thinks the waterer is mama hen.