HELP! One week old chick is pecking and drawing blood on 2 other chicks

[hoosierhens101]

Help I have six 7 day old chicks in a 2ft X 3.2 ft brooder with a mama brooder. One chick starting pecking the vents on two other chicks drawing blood. I have separated the bully several times for 10 minutes to an hour and than reintroduced. I have put several small hiding spots in brooder. She goes right back to aggressively pecking the poor butts of the two other chicks. I do not have a good way to keep her separate indefinitely. Any advice? Should I see if the store will exchange her for a different chick?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You need a much bigger brooder. By 2 weeks most chicks need more exercise, and time outside on warm days if possible. Your brooder may also be too warm and stuffy. Get them into something much bigger, and get stuff for them to do if you can't get them out for a few hours each day.

 

[Thyme4Chickens]

Someone on this forum posted this awesome brooder they made out of joining together multiple appliance (fridge) boxes. Might be a cheap/free way to get your chicks more room!

Do you have something to cover the bloody spots on the other chicks? You can buy Blu Kote or there are lots of DIY versions - this one is just iodine and blue food color https://myhomesteadlife.com/2017/11/07/diy-blue-kote-for-chicken-wounds/

 

[lazy gardener]

Several thoughts: What are you using for a light source? If you are keeping a light on, turn it off.

What is the protein content of your feed? What is the mill date?

Yes, they will benefit from a bigger brooder. What is on the floor of the brooder? If they are not on shavings or something else that they can kick around in, give them some shavings or natural litter.

Even though they have a MHP, the temp may be too high. What is the temp under MHP and outside MHP?

Try giving them some electrolytes. Your aggressor may have a lyte imbalance. Do a google search for home made electrolytes or pedialyte. If you give lytes, be sure to give plain water also. Also give them Poultry Nutri Drench. That can be put in the plain water. And give them some scrambled egg.

Stress busters and activities: give them a plug of sod. (about 8" diameter) plop it upside down in the brooder. This will give them something to focus on other than each other. When they wear that sod out, give them a new one.

This chick needs to be separated for long term. Try 24 hours. You could give him a buddy who is not as likely to get picked on. If he picks on his new buddy, keep him alone.

If all these measures don't work, I would then assume that he has a loose screw. I would seriously consider culling such a one.

 

[hoosierhens101]

Someone on this forum posted this awesome brooder they made out of joining together multiple appliance (fridge) boxes. Might be a cheap/free way to get your chicks more room!

Do you have something to cover the bloody spots on the other chicks? You can buy Blu Kote or there are lots of DIY versions - this one is just iodine and blue food color https://myhomesteadlife.com/2017/11/07/diy-blue-kote-for-chicken-wounds/

Thanks. I found some Blue food coloring and will make something up. I love the idea of a second attached box. I worry that I am adding 3 more 1 week younger chicks tomorrow. Is it true the this chick is more likely to be a rooster because of her behavior?

 

[hoosierhens101]

Several thoughts: What are you using for a light source? If you are keeping a light on, turn it off.

What is the protein content of your feed? What is the mill date?

Yes, they will benefit from a bigger brooder. What is on the floor of the brooder? If they are not on shavings or something else that they can kick around in, give them some shavings or natural litter.

Even though they have a MHP, the temp may be too high. What is the temp under MHP and outside MHP?

Try giving them some electrolytes. Your aggressor may have a lyte imbalance. Do a google search for home made electrolytes or pedialyte. If you give lytes, be sure to give plain water also. Also give them Poultry Nutri Drench. That can be put in the plain water. And give them some scrambled egg.

Stress busters and activities: give them a plug of sod. (about 8" diameter) plop it upside down in the brooder. This will give them something to focus on other than each other. When they wear that sod out, give them a new one.

This chick needs to be separated for long term. Try 24 hours. You could give him a buddy who is not as likely to get picked on. If he picks on his new buddy, keep him alone.

If all these measures don't work, I would then assume that he has a loose screw. I would seriously consider culling such a one.

Great ideas. I will implement as many as I can. They were in a room with natural light and overhead lights. They have a mama brooder so there are no lights directly on them. They have pine bedding. I believe the chick starter is 18% protein. (The bag is at the office) I have separated the bully along with the biggest chick although there is alittle pecking going on it is nothing like the vicious vent pecking that was going on. Two question she seemed to target the two lavendar orpingtons not the black jersey giants or the barred plymouth rock. Any thoughts? Is it true the this chick is more likely to be a rooster because of her behavior? I worry that I am adding 3 more 1 week younger chicks tomorrow

 

[lazy gardener]

Unless you triple the size of your brooder, you should not be adding any more birds.

As far as this behavior pointing to it being a roo, I don't believe so. What I do believe is that either it's a management issue or the bird is mentally unhinged and needs to be culled.

 

[hoosierhens101]

Unless you triple the size of your brooder, you should not be adding any more birds.

As far as this behavior pointing to it being a roo, I don't believe so. What I do believe is that either it's a management issue or the bird is mentally unhinged and needs to be culled.

Unless you triple the size of your brooder, you should not be adding any more birds.

As far as this behavior pointing to it being a roo, I don't believe so. What I do believe is that either it's a management issue or the bird is mentally unhinged and needs to be culled.

Great ideas. I will implement as many as I can. They were in a room with natural light and overhead lights. They have a mama brooder so there are no lights directly on them. They have pine bedding. I believe the chick starter is 18% protein. (The bag is at the office) I have separated the bully along with the biggest chick although there is alittle pecking going on it is nothing like the vicious vent pecking that was going on. Two question she seemed to target the two lavendar orpingtons not the black jersey giants or the barred plymouth rock. Any thoughts? Is it true the this chick is more likely to be a rooster because of her behavior? I worry that I am adding 3 more 1 week younger chicks tomorrow

So far so good. I reintroduced

Unless you triple the size of your brooder, you should not be adding any more birds.

As far as this behavior pointing to it being a roo, I don't believe so. What I do believe is that either it's a management issue or the bird is mentally unhinged and needs to be culled.

Hi Thanks, I have an outside brooder set up in my coop. I may have to put them out there sooner than I planned. In hindsight this chick has been weird since I got her at two days old. When the other 5 chicks were together under the brooder she was out and chirping loudly out the window I put in the brooder box the first day I got her. I have put her back with supervision, lots of interesting things in the brooder, a second room ( aka an other box), blue antibiotic salve on the vents of two of the chicks and the over head light off with a blue light on the brooder. She has alienated all 5 of the other chicks. They won't even go under the brooder if shes under there. She is still pecking everyone but especially violent with the two lavender orpingtons. Maybe her egg got alittle scrambled. I will give her some more time and see how it goes. Thanks for all the ideas