5 day old chick hurt toe and others are picking it

[putipa]

I have 30 chicks that were hatched on 5/7, I received them in the mail on 5/9. Ten are barred rocks, 10 are Rhode Island Reds and 10 are Auracauna.

One of the Auracauna got his toe hung in the chick feeder (the auracauna are smaller than the others and he climbed into the feeder and then ate so much that he couldn't get out. I had to take the top off of the feeder to get him out, but he already had a red irritated toe (right at the toenail) and a small red mark under his beak. The others (mostly the barred rocks) are picking at the toe and red area under his beak. He seems fine otherwise. I put him in a shoebox with holes in the side, but he is peeping loudly and wants to be with the others.

He has been eating medicated chick feed and water since they arrived. They had grogel on Friday and sugar water Friday and yesterday. Plain water today. His poop is normal. The chicks are in a rubbermaid feeding trough with pellet litter on the bottom and a heatlamp suspended from the ceiling. The light is not red (the box said it was, but when I got home it was white). The trough is inside the coop my husband built and it is double walled and insulated. The temperatures have been holding at 90-95 degrees day and night.

This is my first experience with chicks, but I have noticed that the auracana seem to be smaller and more fragile than the others and the barred rocks are quite aggressive and pushy.

I've searched and googled to no end and cannot find a remedy for the injuries and I think that the only reason they are picking is because the areas are red. I'm hoping that if I keep him separated and they leave it alone, the redness will go away. But if it doesn't, what should I do? I'm sure that being separated from the others is very stressful and not helping the situation, but I'm worried that they will just pick him to death.

Sorry this is so long, just a nervous new mother

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

Is there any way you can put him in something where he can still see the others? You're right, they're only pecking at it because it's different. Left alone it will probably go away. If he can see the others he may calm down and stop the loud peeping. If you leave him in with them I'm afraid they'll just keep pecking him until he bleeds.

 

[putipa]

Thank you for the advice. I have a wire refrigerator shelf that I wedged in and he does seem to be less stressed about the situation, but still not at all happy with the situation. He does stop pacing long enough to eat and drink. His toe was less red, until a few got a hold of it because he is pacing back and forth looking for a way out. So, I put a stick of wood along the front, this seems to be keeping them away from it, although they got it a couple of times after I put the grate up, he seems to have figured out how to keep it back where they cannot reach. There are always 3 or 4 there trying to pick. As one gets bored and moves on, another takes his place. I threw in some sticks, grass, and a couple of bugs to try and keep them distracted. I did put a little dab of veterinary cream on it. Hopefully he will keep back enough for it to get better before he is too stressed. I really would hate to lose a chick over a hurt toe.

thanks again,
margaret in NE Oregon