I ordered 4 speckled sussex and 4 spitzhauben (similar to polish) pullets from our feed mill and got them yesterday (Friday) morning. Since they got home safe and into the brooder, 1 of the SS stands in the middle and cries while the rest are running around eating and drinking, and it goes after their toes. I separated it from the rest, and it was quiet as long as I held it. Put it back in a half hour later, and it went right for other chick's toes and again crying. I keep hearing crying so go check, and it's always the same one, never happy. This morning when I checked them, I had one spitz with red toes and one missing a toe. I took the four spitz out to a smaller brooder and watched the four SS. That same one was crying then going after the other SS's toes. It doesn't just peck toes, it grabs and pulls them.
This is the same brooder/heater setup I've used for several other happy chicks which has plenty of room by heat and away from heat. I am not new to this as I raise silkies and have gotten chicks by letting hens hatch or I've hatched. I'm doing the same method I've done for my own except for getting Sav-A-Chick for these since they were shipped. They are at best 4 days old today. I have shiny toys and branches in there, and they have their choice of mash or dry food most favoring the dry.
Now that it's dark, I put the spitz back in the main brooder and turned off the light. This is insane that I have seven happy chicks and one that won't shut up and pecks toes. So I look it up and toe-pecking is on Wiki as possible physiological stress. My hubby thinks we should give it Melatonin (joking). Seriously, I'm at a loss for what to do with it in the morning to save the toes of all the rest. If I put it back in the second brooder by itself, it will cry constantly.
This is the same brooder/heater setup I've used for several other happy chicks which has plenty of room by heat and away from heat. I am not new to this as I raise silkies and have gotten chicks by letting hens hatch or I've hatched. I'm doing the same method I've done for my own except for getting Sav-A-Chick for these since they were shipped. They are at best 4 days old today. I have shiny toys and branches in there, and they have their choice of mash or dry food most favoring the dry.
Now that it's dark, I put the spitz back in the main brooder and turned off the light. This is insane that I have seven happy chicks and one that won't shut up and pecks toes. So I look it up and toe-pecking is on Wiki as possible physiological stress. My hubby thinks we should give it Melatonin (joking). Seriously, I'm at a loss for what to do with it in the morning to save the toes of all the rest. If I put it back in the second brooder by itself, it will cry constantly.
