Feather/down eating in almost 2 week old--normal?

[sophiehatter1057]

Hello feather-loving friends,

I have a flock of 12 baby chicks (6 EEs and 6 Australorps) bought from a local feed store, who got them shipped from Ideal as 1 day old chicks. One of my EEs cannot stop picking at all the others' down/feathers. She's not particular about who she'll nibble on--including the seemingly dominant chick. Sometimes it's even herself that she's pecking at. The other EEs don't even really notice it. The Australorps give her a piece of their minds when it happens and she backs off of them for a while.

The brooder is warm and huge with lots of space to get away/cool off, clean water, clean food, clean bedding. I've introduced LOTS of toys, textures, etc. I've been trying the technique of "pecking" her with my finger every time she does it, for the past 3 days now, to no avail.
I'm pretty sure, early on, she's one of the EEs we treated for pasty butt (we put her in a jar of warm water until she had a bowel movement, towel dried her, etc)

Is she likely deficient in protein? Or is this kind of grooming within the normal bounds? Do I try to feed her eggs? Do I use "pick no more" on everyone? Given that the correctional strategy (gentle poking) I tried isn't working, if this behaviour *does* need correcting, where do I go from here?

 

[nuthatched]

What are you feeding? Don't gently poke, peck her hard and fast with your fingers.

 

[sophiehatter1057]

Lol, I mean, "gentle" is all relative isn't it? She definitely reacts and runs away, but it's not working...it's like it's a compulsion. I'm feeding Kalambach start right chick feed (unmedicated). It's this one:
https://www.chewy.com/kalmbach-feeds-all-natural-non-gmo-18/dp/244667

 

[Perris]

Is she likely deficient in protein?

yes. Give her some meat or fish or insects and see if it stops.

 

[Folly's place]

I like 20% chick starter better myself, but will it matter to this chick? Who knows?
Do check the mill date on each bag of feed, and plan to feed it within two months of that date, not older. Some of the vitamins are not improved over time, and it does matter, especially on how the feed was handled
since it was produced.
And if you do add other items to their diet, make sure to have a dish of chick sized grit for them.
I don't think that you can correct this behavior by your response, it's between her and her flockmates. Some individuals are nicer than others...
Mary