2 wk old chicks bloody wounds! Am I doing this right? HELP! PLZ!!

[countrychick14]

I bought 6 baby white leghorns from TSC last Sunday. Brought them home, put them in my utility room in a 4 ft by 3ft box. Pine shavings on the floor, medicated feed, water, everything they needed. I have been keeping the temp this week around 85 degrees. They have not been piling, or acting like they were hot or cold. They have wing feathers and tail feathers, thats it. I am guessing they are around 2 weeks old. Anyway, they were doing fabulous until yesterday, I had to leave for the afternoon. When I got home 4 of the chicks had bloody spots on them, 2 were extremely bad.

I washed them all of with mild soap, put neosporin on the wounds, and have separated all 6. I am planning on putting pine tar on their wounds, and putting a red light on them this eve. I don't have the space or pens to keep them all separate for very long. They are in just make-shift spaces right now. I need to put them back together as soon as today or tomorrow. Do any of you have any ideas, except for the pine tar and the red light? When I put them together, they are moving in to a completely different pen.

Thanks.

 

[lovin my birds]

I dont know anything about the pine tar. Sorry! But i would definately put them in a bigger area. They might just be to close to each other and pecking on one another.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I agree. They'll need to be in a much bigger space if they are going to get over this pecking thing. It can be really hard once they start that behavior.

This could be a little tough to get past since the two in worst shape will have to stay separated until they are well healed. After that amount of time you may have trouble re-introducing them to the flock without the pecking starting again.

I also don't know anything about the pine tar, never used it. I've always just used Blue Kote. Turns everything dark purple so it doesn't catch their attention like a red sore spot or bit of blood does. It sounds like your brooder set up was fine so I don't know what would have started all this except somebody pecked somebody else and happened to draw blood and then they were off and running.

Wish I had more advice then just more space. Not an easy problem.

 

[CCourson05]

Your brooder is plenty big enough! It's 12 sq ft. That is big enough to accommodate up to 24 chicks. I'd use the red light and blukote or pine tar. They work the same. To stop bleeding, I recommend corn starch.

 

[countrychick14]

Where would I find the Blue Kote? I have never heard of it. I know of some people who have used the pine tar. They hate the taste of it, and its black. I have never had this happen before. It's VERY aggravating. The worst off chick has been peeping all day, she's missing half a wing, she's lonely. I feel so sorry for her. She can see the bully's through the gate and keeps trying to get over to them. I am going to cover it up so she can't see them.

SO FRUSTRATING!!!! By the way, I will be moving the 6 into a 12 ft by 12ft pen. That should be plenty big enough! I hope.....

Thanks everyone for the advice!

 

[lovin my birds]

That will definatley be big enough!

Good Luck, with the little one who is hurt. I hope she heels fast.

 

[Komaki]

I use blue kote and pine tar. The tar is a natural antiseptic. But blue kote does make others lose interest in that area. Both work great.

 

[suzeqf]

i agree with the space issue and i've used liquid band-aide too i've got a silkie with 12 toes and i have to trim one of it's toenails because it i dont' it grows under and into it's webbing and i accidentally cut it to short and the liquid band-aide works great and it wears off in a matter of days

 

[countrychick14]

Wonderful idea with the liquid bandaid. I forgot about that stuff! THANKS!

 

[Kinniburgh]

I had the same deal with one of my chicks. He was picked up by the cat (just to play...honest) and I examined her and must have missed a tiny spot of blood on her back. Long story short the other 4 picked a pea size hole in her back. I filled it with Triple antibiotic ointment and separated her in the box with cardboard...and immediately the LOUD peeping. Then I got the bright idea of putting a left over piece of hardware cloth to separated about a 1/4 section of the box for the wounded gal and set in an extra fluffy small stuffed animal. BRILLIANT! Not another peep out of her and her sisters even sleep against the wire sometimes and she "snuggles" on top her fluffy friend every night. The wound is healing very fast and I let them all out several times a day in the kitchen to run around. She is definitely still a part of the flock and never picked on outside the box.