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Barnyard Buddies:  HELP!! baby chicks pecking each other!!  |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
 Posted - May 31 2008 : 8:07:41 PM
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Help gals!! I got baby chicks and they keep pecking each other. I am running out of places to put these crippled chicks. I have one injured one in a box, two in a drawer in our mud room, one in another drawer....anyway...how do I stop them? One poor little girl, when I woke up this morning to get them fed and watered for the day, bedding change and whatnot, had blood all over her little wings.
I hopw someone has a suggestion.
Thanks!
"learn to watch snails" SARK |
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GaiasRose
True Blue Farmgirl
2552 Posts
Tasha-Rose
St. Paul
Minnesota
2552 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2008 : 8:11:22 PM
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they are bored. at least that's what I've learned. They need to "play". take them outside into a small run to play and peck grass and bugs and such....also they do establish a pecking order from early on. it's very clear in my little brood which chicks are "in charge".
HTH
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Farmgirl Sister #88
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2008 : 8:31:12 PM
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sometimes using a red light helps...or just giving them more space in the brooder. I use really big cardboard boxes with shavings in them for brooders..with drop lights over them. Sometimes I get the big rubbermaid containers to use instead..either way...space helps, the red light helps since everything looks red..so they don't notice the blood and keep picking. Chickens will sure kill each other if they get started. (remember how tiny their little brains are)
There are for sure the ones in charge...I have had to get rid of mean ones before that just wouldn't stop. Sometimes separating them for a couple weeks changes their attitude, but not always.
Good luck!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Renee M. in Michigan
True Blue Farmgirl
54 Posts
Renee
Allendale
MI
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2008 : 8:39:48 PM
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Overcrowding is a common cause of pecking. If they are old enough to not need the heating lamp, you might think about moving them out of the brooder and into their permanent pen (which I'm assuming is larger).
Chickens are very opportunistic omnivores and curious. It's what makes them excellent foragers. But the downside is they will turn on their own in the right circumstances. Any little speck or dot on their peers will often warrant a peck or two to see if it's edible. However, if and whenthat pecked spot gets bloody, hey won't leave it alone.
I had a hen get hit in the road last summer. . . As she drew her last breath, her "sisters" were upon her like a pack of wolves. . . It was pretty disgusting, but, well, that's the way chickens are. I picked her body up amidst the fray and disposed of her. Didn't want them all to get mad chicken disease from eating their own. <smile>
-- Renee M. in Michigan
No woman ever made history by following the rules. |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2008 : 9:01:59 PM
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Hmmmm, we had the "heat" lamp in them but it wan't red. I thought that they were pecking each other because the light was driving them crazy.
so, how old do they have to be before I can take them outside? Do I just put them outside on the grass with a boarder around them ( a box without a bottom for example)
It sure is great getting advice from fellow farm gals. Beats reading a book anyday..
Thanks gals:)
"learn to watch snails" SARK |
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Renee M. in Michigan
True Blue Farmgirl
54 Posts
Renee
Allendale
MI
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2008 : 11:43:27 PM
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The rule of thumb for chicks is: 90 to 95 degrees the first week, then decreasing by 5 degrees each week until no heat is needed (i.e. the outside temps are warm enough for them).
When transitioning brooder-raised chicks to the outside with no Mother hen to watch out for them , do bear in mind they will be EASY and irresistable prey for animals that wouldn't bother a full-grown chicken, like barn cats and snakes. Make sure your pen is extra predator proof.
-- Renee M. up in the mitten
No woman ever made history by following the rules. |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2008 : 9:51:19 PM
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Usually by 4 weeks they don't need a lamp unless it is really really cold out. (they are usually feathered out by then..if they arn't they may still need heat. I wouldn't put the chicks out without a cover over their "playpen" either. I have used a baby gate laid over the top. Usually I just put them in the big chicken pen to run..mine is covered with small chicken wire over the top. Cats are terrible bad to get chicks.
How old are your chicks mel???
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2008 : 05:54:57 AM
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Oh gals, this is so great to have all of your ideas and words of wisdom.
Aunt Jenny, you aske how old they are.....well this is where we aren't sure. We ordered day olds- 30 of them. When I picked them up, 20 were day old, but the other ten already had "bum feathers" and wing feathers. The day old ones are brown layers, and black layers (the CO OP worker didn't know the names of the breeds and I am so new at this :))The older looking ones are white leghorns and seem to be quite abit bigger.
It is the leghorns that are picking on each other. But the funniest thing happened yesterday. My husband, my exchange student, and I were going on a day trip. We saw a yard sale sign and had to stop (my exchange student had never heard of a yard sale...poor thing!) Lo and behold, what did my little eye spy....... 9 great big window screens!!!! So today, hubby and I are going to "sew" them together and have a pen for our birdies.
Now, we already have 10 grown leghorns with a great solid house.
Can we put the homemade pen in the big bird house?
Thanks again ladies for all of your help.
"learn to watch snails" SARK |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4260 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4260 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2008 : 12:30:49 PM
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The red light will do the trick, or you can try tinting their water red with food coloring. The red heat lamp works better though. I have always used a red light, and never had any pecking problems. I get brown or black layers from my feed store also. No breed name, just black or brown. :) They lay great though. Yes you can put a smaller pen in your big bird house. Just so the older hens can't get at the little ones. Good luck with your chickens
Michele |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2008 : 3:28:39 PM
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What a perfect find..the screens I mean...they will love that!
How very sad not to know about yard sales..can't imagine. You did the right thing by "fixing" that!!
I bet the exercise will help alot
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Barnyard Buddies: HELP!! baby chicks pecking each other!! |
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HELP!! baby chicks pecking each other!!
