Hurt Baby Chick! Help!

[munchkinmommy]

Hi All!

I have a White Phoenix hen who just hatched 8 chicks this past weekend from different chickens in our flock. I also have 7 chicks I bought at our feed store, so a total of 15 chicks. They are all under 5 days old.

We have 5 black ones and the rest are brown or yellow. The problem is that the Phoenix mother had been attacking the black chicks and hurting them. I think it is because she would not have black chicks if she were to hatch her own eggs. Her instinct is to protect the brown and yellow chicks because they are closer to a phoenix chicks coloring.

This morning I woke up to see the youngest black chick with a bloody cut on her cheek and her eyes swollen shut. I immediately separated the mother and she is now with our adult chickens, away from the chicks.

My question is, how can we take care of this baby? She is bloody, but I do not want to touch her too much for fear of making it worse. I don't think she may be blind, but she will not open her eyes. 2 other black chicks are missing a few patches of fluff/feathers, and one has a bloody spot on her back. Is there anything I can do or should I let them be and let them try to heal on their own?

Thank you for all your help! It is greatly appreciated!

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds to me like you are probably going to have to remove the black chicks, and take care of them yourself in a brooder. Are the black chicks ones she hatched or are they from the feedstore? Some broodies will accept other chicks, but some do not. Since she is attacking them, I would watch her closely, in case she attacks others. You will need to get the baby with the hurt eyes, and protect her. If she has eye drainage, keep her eyes cleaned with saline. Vetericyn eye gel can be used in the eyes twice a day if they looked infected. BluKote spray or dab on, can hide the bare skin or red marks on the other chicks.