AN OUTCAST

[white_stripes]

My special chick-Nugget has a huge unfeathered spot on the back of her neck. She's the smallest and I think the other chicks are skimping her on food and pecking her. What to do?

 

[Judy]

Put something on the spot - Blue Kote, Anti-Pik, pine tar, Vicks Vaporub, tea tree oil -- to discourage more pecking.

Watch them and try to identify the pecker, usually one or two. Isolate the pecker for a week and return it. It will then be at the bottom of the pecking order.

And hope they are not picking on it because it is defective.

 

[gritsar]

I agree with Dawn. Also, make sure you have two feeders, even if the second one is a small homemade one. More aggressive chicks can starve out a loner.

 

[white_stripes]

Thanks! I'll do that. Right now I only have one feeder but I'll get another soon.

 

[SimplyForties]

Have the other chicks drawn blood? It'll be worse if it gets that far. If you don't have one already, make sure your brooder light is red. It makes it harder for them to see blood and seems to calm them a bit.

If you can figure out a primary agressor you can put it in chicken jail or isolate your little victim. If you end up doing either of those things it seems to work best if you can "fence" off a corner of your brooder so the chick in solitary can still see and be seen by the rest of the flock. Makes it easier to re-integrate later.

Good luck!

 

[white_stripes]

Thanks! But they definitely seem to be doing better since I gave them a bigger home, two feeders, and take them outside for at least two hours a day (don't have a run built yet).