{Lucy the Puggle Dog checking in on her chicks}
I’m sure you’ve noticed I haven’t been posting too much about our latest round of baby chicks.
That’s because we thought one of them was going to die.
2 weeks ago we brought home 3 blue cochin baby chicks. Blueberry, Blue Bell, and Omelet. A few days after we brought the chicks home, our dear sweet Matilda died as a result of being egg bound for four days.
As the baby chicks grew and started to feather out a bit, we noticed one of them {Blueberry} was about half the size of the other two chicks.
She was a runt.
And they picked on her.
On more than one occasion either the Handsome Husband, The Girl or I found poor little Blueberry on her side, struggling to stand up. Then on Tuesday, as I was leaving to go run errands, I noticed not only was she on her side, she was near lifeless and her beak was open as if she was gasping for her last breath. There was nothing I could do for her.
So I picked her up, and placed her in a small box and propped her up about 18 inches from the heating lamp. I thought, well, at least this way she can die warm, and in peace without the other chicks finishing her off by pecking her to death.
I thought she was a goner for sure, and was trying to decide if I should bury her before The Girl got home to spare her after what had happened to Matilda.
And then I left to go run errands.
Long story short, I came back about an hour later and Blueberry was up and walking around her box cheeping like a mad woman and trying to figure out how to get out.
I’m not sure if she was playing possum or what, but she is one tough little bird.
Since I’ve never really had to deal with baby chicks picking on one another to this extreme before, I was hoping some of YOU might have some advise. I know chickens are very social creatures, and I would hate to separate them and cause anxiety among them.
What do you think I should do?
~Mavis
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Becky says
We’ve been through the chicken ringer this year as well with some picking on others and some dying for seemingly no reason. I have 3 bantum cochin chicks right now and one is also quite a bit smaller than the rest. I ended up splitting their brooder box in half, separated the little one out to one side and got her a couple of younger/newer/smaller friends to play with (one of which is a duckling- great for eating garden slugs but not your produce and not to mention super cute!) Good luck 🙂 And sorry about Matilda, that is a bummer. PS: I love and am semi obsessed with your blog 🙂
Knitting with Olof says
I would make sure she is getting her liquids and some game feed that has higher protein levels to help her grow. If it were me I would put a spacer in the brooder so that they can see each other but they can´t touch her. Like a screen or something. Anyway. That is my 2 cents.
Amanda M. says
Put her on a flock feed that has a higher protein percent and she will grow a little faster. I had one chick that was quite small and ended up not making it as well this year. We were really bummed.
Cyntha says
I picked up 5 baby chicks from Orshlens. 2 Americanaus 2 Rhode Island and 1 Buff Orpington. One of the Americanaus was very mean and picking on all the others. Going right up to the other chicks eyes and pecking. After googling it I found out they only do it if they are stressed. Take care of the stress and they will be fine. The one I was having trouble with was my sons favorite. While I was very tempted to take it back and trade if they would let me, I tried something. I had ordered dried mealworms from Audubon and I put those in the box. They break up to a fine powder. This little chick went to town eating those. Even though I had food and water in the tub she must have been very hungry, and needing the extra protein maybe. The mealworms are 49.6% protein. Anyway, she is a wonderful chick now. I am still putting a few in the tub. I know your chicks Mavis are well taken care of. I am glad Blueberry is responding well.
Challice says
I am scared now. For the first time in my whole life I am getting my dream come true and getting chicks. I don’t want them to die! I’ve been selling used items like mad to get the money to get them. 🙁 If I have a runt chick, I am naming him Wilber. Its for good luck. 😉
Mavis says
Wilbur! I like that! 🙂 Best of luck Challice.
Bren says
I brought home a bunch of different types of chicks last fall one of them was a black cochin and she was super mean to other chicks non stop. All I ever heard was screaming from the other chicks as she pulled on their legs, feathers etc. I had to give her back for my sanity because I couldn’t take the screaming, after she was gone it was all peace. Its funny how chickens all have their own personalities like humans. The store told me it was pecking order and they would figure it out but that chick was MEAN.
Village Brat says
And I can tell you after raising chicks/chickens for the last 8 yrs or so they can grow into MEAN hens and still rule the roost!! I have had more than one rooster get picked on terribly by a MEAN Austrolop hen 🙂
Cecily says
Bluberry’s difference in size, head shape and rate of feathering reminds me of two of the chicks from the batch I got last year. They turned out to be cockerals.
Grandma PattyB says
Boy, am I learning a lot about chickens here. Thank you all, especially, you Mavis. I’m planning on getting my chicken coop and chicks in Spring 2014. By then, I’ll have read about every thing happening to your chickens and have gained some wisdom. Love the support we give one another!
Judy N. says
Mavis I have raised and enjoyed chickens for 30 years now. I have had chicks do this, just lay over and you think, “OH NO ITS A GONER” but then they recover. There is no rhyme or reason to this and can’t always pinpoint why, but here is some things to consider. She may have got a little dehydrated more then the others especially if she is smaller and they are bulling her, and she couldn’t get to the water enough, also her sugar might have plummeted so try a little sugar in her water, if she does this again. But my biggest thought would be that she Was Cold, and her body temp plummeted., actually Baby chicks die of low body temp more then anything. Which would explain after you dropped in the lamp 18 inches from her, it got her nice and toastie and she popped back up.. I hope they all do well and grow up strong, because I look forward to seeing pictures of them pecking around. On another note, I just wanted you to know I LOVE your blog, its what I wake up too!!
Happy Gardening!
Mavis says
Awwww Thanks Judy! 🙂 I moved the lamp down a little lower after she popped back up and they have plenty of room to move around as well. They are just so much fun to watch and take care of.
Village Brat says
All great advice and things I have done myself many times. The sugar water, you can’t make it too sugary, the first week or two are big ones and the heat even as they grow.
I have lost them when they pig pile when they get a draft and are already half feathered. That seems to be my biggest deal, but I raise many, many more at a time. Now I always have at least 2 lights.
Love the names of yours….I am not that creative although I did hear a good one for a lamb, chili meat:-)
Michaela says
What I did, years ago, when I had both chickens and rabbits, was put the picked upon chick in with a rabbit. The chick had warmth and companionship, and feathered out without being pecked to death, which is a bad thing that all chickens do to those who are different, for any reason. I had a to do this with a couple of them, until they were big enough to be reintroduced to the flock. They even learned to ride the rabbits, which seemed to like the chicks being on their backs.
Ann W. Firestone says
Baby chicks….lol…have you ever seen an adult chick?? I keep Rescue Remedy on hand for emergencies like this one. So glad your little chick rallied. I enjoy reading your blog!
Mama Meesh says
Ugh, After reading about poor Matilda last week and then hearing about little Blueberry, I have realized that I’m not cut out to raise chickens. Too much city in this girl. Great job Mavis I will just have to live through your stories of chickens.
Michelle says
I had a similar problem except it was one chick picking on all the others so for almost a week I kept her on one side of a wire mesh in the same brooder. She could still see the others and they could even choose to sit close to her. Every few days I would put her back in to see if she was still being aggressive. Out she’d go the second she’d start pecking again. Finally after about five to seven days she stopped and is back on the side with the rest. No problems now. I think she had to learn the hard way that being the bully doesn’t get cha anywhere excepted outed!
Ginger says
We just picked up our second round of chicks, yesterday. Was hoping the little girls we got March 2013 would have been with us for years, but a raccoon had them three of them for lunch one day, and two days later had two more for breakfast. We live in the city and are only allowed 6 hens. We do have one survivor, the low girl on the ladder lasted, go figure! If she played dead both times her classmates were being mauled, good girl!
I wish you luck! With them!
Heather Lomis says
I have an opposite problem. I had seven eggs in my incubator and only one baby chick hatched. The poor thing is so lonely I was thinking about setting up my brood home in my chicken coop and having it divided so the hens could see it and the baby could too but still stay safe. Any thoughts?