Help!! Baby chicks are being aggressive!

[HowIsItDone]

He's the one in your 4th picture. A big white spot on the head.
Mine had that.

 

[_ss233]

He's the one in your 4th picture. A big white spot on the head.
Mine had that.

I seem to get mixed thoughts on the white patch. A friend had a barred rock who had a big patch as a chick and it is a hen!

 

[SourRoses]

Oops I think I replied to the wrong person. I had the same thoughts about that comment though.

It was me you meant to reply to.
I said cull unless mishandled, because I have seen the rare instance of aggression in cockerels that early (it does look like a cockerel to me) and they always stayed aggressive.
However, if a child has been rough with the chicks then the chick may be merely responding to a threat and could be calmed over time.

In the OP, you said:

Always flying at me when I open their brooder and pecking at my hands.

and

But even walking in the room really seems to aggravate them

Which sounds like hyper aggressive behavior. It's not remotely normal.
And if these were pullets, and they were mishandled, they would be hiding their faces in the corners of the brooder rather than coming at you.

Of course, what you do is up to you. We can all only reply within the realm of our own experience. I've found dealing with aggression to be discouraging when it comes to chicken keeping and actually decided to quit the hobby on two separate occasions before we chose to start again with only mild breeds and focus on temperament in our flock.

 

[_ss233]

Are you sure it's aggression? At that age, they should be more playful than anything, looking for treats and checking to be sure your hand isn't edible. Think of them as toddlers, putting everything in their mouths to check it out.

Do they have enough food and water? Pictures of the whole setup are helpful.

Do you ever take them out? I used to put an old sheet on the floor, surrounded by cardboard, and sit with them. Be mindful of your eyes, though. They will peck those, and possibly lips, too.

Don't take this the wrong way, but how old are your kids? Sometimes kids don't move slowly enough not to scare chicks, or are rougher with the babies than they think they are. I speak from experience; I caught my kid walking around outside, holding one of my chickens upside down by her leg, shortly after we got them.

Yes we take them out daily and I do heavily monitor my kiddo with them too. I’m super cautious about those things. I did try taking jewelry off this afternoon because I was wondering if my rings and bracelets may have been causing some of the pecking lol. We had a little better of an interaction!

 

[_ss233]

It was me you meant to reply to.
I said cull unless mishandled, because I have seen the rare instance of aggression in cockerels that early (it does look like a cockerel to me) and they always stayed aggressive.
However, if a child has been rough with the chicks then the chick may be merely responding to a threat and could be calmed over time.

In the OP, you said:

and


Which sounds like hyper aggressive behavior. It's not remotely normal.
And if these were pullets, and they were mishandled, they would be hiding their faces in the corners of the brooder rather than coming at you.

Of course, what you do is up to you. We can all only reply within the realm of our own experience. I've found dealing with aggression to be discouraging when it comes to chicken keeping and actually decided to quit the hobby on two separate occasions before we chose to start again with only mild breeds and focus on temperament in our flock.

Totally reasonable response based off what I’ve provided and understand your thoughts. I’m not opposed to finding an alternative solution if we can’t resolve the issues but wanted to jump on here and get feedback and ideas from others. It seems most people think I have a cockerel which would explain a lot. I’ve heard such good things about barred rocks I have been so confused by this one!

 

[_ss233]

I spend a lot of time with the girls, no matter what age they are. With chicks, the more you touch them, pick them up, hold them, let them climb on you, snuggle them, the better. Talk to them, sing to them, spend as much time with them as you can. The rowdiest ones usually (but not always) turn out to be cockerels.

Thank you! We have interacted daily in safe and calm settings. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a cockerel but hopeful it’s not and that we can encourage a more friendly bond!

 

[sniper338]

Sounds like a hatchery bird bad breeding trait.

 

[Kkoleckar]

She is mostly friendly with the others. It’s most directed to me/my husband when we try to open their brooder for socializing etc. but I did consider isolating the two I’m noticing issues with and putting them in a separate brooder. I was just somewhat worried reintroducing them would be problematic

They are stressed over the space available. Put them in something larger. If they saw you putting the new comers in their box they maybe worried more are to come whenever you put your hand in there.

 

[fluffybuttchickenhuttx]

Yes we take them out daily and I do heavily monitor my kiddo with them too. I’m super cautious about those things. I did try taking jewelry off this afternoon because I was wondering if my rings and bracelets may have been causing some of the pecking lol. We had a little better of an interaction!

When I'm wearing sparkly nail polish my chicks go crazy. They run and peck at my nails. It's actually a good way to get them to come up and get used to you. I tap tap tap, and they come running. So this chick might actually be interested in your jewelry. They are like toddlers and love pecking anything shiny and eating stuff they shouldn't.

Usually, my little roos will run around pecking all the little pullets. That's my first cockerel sign.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I had a BJG cockerel that started charging my hand, chest-thumping it and pecking my hand when I would change the feed or water in the brooder - at under 2 weeks of age! I had special-ordered him to be my new flock master and did not want him having these bad habits so I knew I had to nip it in the bud! So one day when he chest- thumped me, I thwacked him in the chest. You know, I cocked my middle finger against my thumb and then flicked him with it. It surprised him, but he came at me again. I flicked him again, and he came back at me. We played this little game, oh .. about 15 or 20 times. I started flicking him a little harder. Finally he pulled back, looked at me and decided he'd had enough. He never challenged me again and he was on his way to being everything I could have hoped for in a roo - until a bloody coyote got him and 4 of my BA girls.