New chick appears to have feathers pecked off? Advice on care?

[jktowey]

So we finally went to buy new chicks so our lone PeekABoo wouldn't be lonely. We realized one of the chicks has this bare patch, and was told that the there is a chick in the brooder pecking at the others. Our question is, how do we care for this? Do we leave it be? Put antibiotics on it? TIA

 

[junebuggena]

Put some Blue-Kot on it so that the other chicks don't keep pecking at the raw, healing spot.

 

[jktowey]

Put some Blue-Kot on it so that the other chicks don't keep pecking at the raw, healing spot.

Can we get that at any pet supply store?

 

[jktowey]

Also, will the feathers grow back?

 

[junebuggena]

Yes, the feathers will grow back. Chicks go through several juvenile molts in the first few months, so those feathers would have come out on their own at some point. You should be able to find some sort of antibiotic coating at any pet supply or feed store. One with a blue tint is best. The idea is that you want to hide the red that can invite more pecking.

 

[jktowey]

Yes, the feathers will grow back. Chicks go through several juvenile molts in the first few months, so those feathers would have come out on their own at some point. You should be able to find some sort of antibiotic coating at any pet supply or feed store. One with a blue tint is best. The idea is that you want to hide the red that can invite more pecking.

Okay, thank you! In the mean time, can we put any antibiotic ointment on it? Like Neosporin?

 

[junebuggena]

You could use Neosporin, but it won't hide the redness. It's the red that could entice the other chicks to start pecking at it to the point of severe injury.

 

[jktowey]

You could use Neosporin, but it won't hide the redness. It's the red that could entice the other chicks to start pecking at it to the point of severe injury.

Okay, thank you. I'll ask around the local pet supply stores if they have it, and in the mean time use Neosporin and keep an eye on them to make sure the other chick isn't pecking at it. We just have the two and won't be integrating them with our lone older pullet for another couple of weeks.