3 week old chick was bleeding from ears??

[auslysslorp]

I'm currently raising a mix of chicks, mostly inside in brooders, but my bantam hen went broody at the same time as I started incubating a new batch, so I let her keep her eggs, a mix of her own and australorp x. Yesterday I went out to check on her and her now 3 week old chicks. There was an australorp x lying on its side, bleeding from both ears. I freaked out, scooped up the chick and rushed it inside. I quarantined it in a small brooder of its own, turned the heat mat up a little and monitored it closely. It seemed to be breathing very shallowly. By evening it was able to lift its head up and look around.

Now come morning it's cheeping loudly and marching around the brooder looking for friends. I can't see any blood at all.

I wonder if it was pecked hard by its mum and it really rattled its brains? Should I be worried about sickness? Should I continue the quarantine? It isn't happy being on its own.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[sourland]

I would be tempted to reintroduce it to the mom and hatchmates. Monitor to make sure that it is accepted.

 

[auslysslorp]

Thanks for the advice. The chick is still doing well, but we have a full on summer storm today and it's absolutely **pouring** and won't stop. I'm sure my little lady has her wings full keeping the other chicks warm and as dry as may be, and I'd get soaked monitoring the situation. I'm still really wondering what happened. Can a mother peck a chick's skull so hard it causes a brain bleed? I see no symptoms of illness.

I'm tempted to let it mix with the chicks I have inside, which are all the same age anyway, but what if it goes backwards? What if it is infectious afterall?? I gave it a mirror so it can see itself and feel a bit less lonely but it's still pining for company. I can't shake the image of the poor little thing just lying there limp with quite a bit of blood all over its head.

 

[napdognewfie]

Put one of the ones the same age in wit it. It won't be alone then. And you won't be exposing the rest of those chicks.