By this time, you will have noticed that your chicks look a bit “unkept” as their fluffy appearance slowly disappears and their fuzzy down is replaced with feathers of a mature bird. Chicks will usually be fully feathered by 5 weeks of age. You will also observe their wattles and combs growing larger and taking on a deeper red color. Your babies are growing up!

As they mature, chicks will naturally establish a “pecking order” which determines each chick’s social position in the flock. Their place in the order will determine who eats and drinks first and ultimately who “rules the roost.” This order is determined early in life and is completely normal.

Although establishment of a pecking order is normal behavior, you should be watchful for excessive pecking in chicks as it may indicate a more serious problem, cannibalism. This is when birds peck the feathers and other body parts of other birds and if allowed to get out of hand, can lead to bleeding, open sores and even death. Cannibalism can occur at any age and needs to be controlled as soon as it rears its ugly head! It is costly and can spread through a flock rapidly if left unchecked. Cannibalism is usually the result of stress which can be caused by poor management. Some of these stressors may include crowding, excessive heat, bright lighting, hunger, thirst, the presence of sick or injured chicks, and parasites as well as any other factor that causes stress. Providing the correct living environment in terms of these factors will help reduce the potential for cannibalism from occurring in your flock.