Hi i was wondering if any one can shed light on to why only one of my chicks (4 weeks old) has started bitting very hard and will not let go.

They have been hand reared from 2 weeks old and they have all been doing really well. This one how ever is first in the que for a feed and is expert at rushing across the cage and jumping out the door in a split second, in order to get to me.

This is a crazed behaviour not unlike when the chicks want feeding, but if I don't have a syringe ready right away it goes strait for my finger like a pitbull.

These are not normal testing nips, it REALLY hurts and it hangs on and Will not let go untill I prise it off and then it goes for me again right away. I have to remove it from the cage when I'm handling, feeding, clean etc, because no matter how much food it eats, it is intent on bitting at any time. It's a horrible behaviour.

I have never had a bird that bits with such gusto and I'm currently worried it has a mental problem.

I am currently starting weaning, which is causing more problems because it will only eat what I feed from a spoon and I seems to prefer finger flovoured snacks.

The other chicks are all so lovely and normal, happy to eat food from a shallow dish as long as it's warm. Happy to be handled and not frightened at all.

Any info would be greatfully received.

Also if any one has recommendations as how to deal with the problem I would be pleased to hear from them also.

Kate.

I am not sure about the biting problem, but I can offer advice in removing the spoon feeds.

When my birds are eating from a spoon and need to learn to eat from a dish, I use shallow dish with their food in it. I feed them from the dish and spoon so they associate the dish as where the food is coming from. Gradually through the feed I keep the spoon closer to the dish, and then deeper in the dish...until they are virtually eating from the dish themselves. It doesnt take long. If you also put a tray of finesliced greens, grated carrot, and seed in their cage they will start eating from that too.

Cheers Kaz

it is most likely a hen... Women always bite back

Daz, Are you looking to get yourself in the bad books,With astatement like

that.

Daz must be doing a "hit and run"....Macka......he's too busy to stay around for his clip over the ear

That is petty much the method I use to wean them and the oldest has been has been eating like this for afew weeks, and has show the others the ropes. The aggressive chick is getting the idea too but is only interested when I'm not in view. I hope as weaning progresses it calms down. But I don't like leaving it to HOPE.

This young bird will not make a pet if it attacks all my visters. And as I have a coleny breeding aviary I don't want more Hens in it than boys.

Looks like I'll be building a new flight for the rejects soon, (Laughing out loud).

Edited November 7, 200717 yr by Kate.

You might have to train it not to bite you. Either by scaring it when it bites you, or pushing it away on its beak so it is uncomfortable when it bites you. Or don't feed it straight away if it bites you. Wait until it has stopped biting before feeding it. That way it won't associate biting you for food.