Bleeding beak

[selfsuffally]

I noticed that on one of my day old Gambel chicks the beak is bleeding. It's breathing through the mouth and has been running around and drinking. It is now in ICU. Haven't seen any pecking. The brooder has a red light and is a 50 gallon tub, 42 3/4 X 22 X 18. Plenty of water and food, temperature is 99 under the light. I have two brooders the same size.

What could have happened and what can I do about it? I've Googled bleeding beak but every bird I've seen is grown. Since it's so little I can't tell where the blood is coming from.

 

[Binki]

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I noticed that on one of my day old Gambel chicks the beak is bleeding. It's breathing through the mouth and has been running around and drinking. It is now in ICU. Haven't seen any pecking. The brooder has a red light and is a 50 gallon tub, 42 3/4 X 22 X 18. Plenty of water and food, temperature is 99 under the light. I have two brooders the same size.

What could have happened and what can I do about it? I've Googled bleeding beak but every bird I've seen is grown. Since it's so little I can't tell where the blood is coming from.

Hmm the blood is on top which makes me think it's not coming from the nostrils, could it be a scrape? From the sides of the brooder or maybe a sharp piece of plastic on the feeder, etc? :O

 

[DK newbie]

As it is on both sides in the same amounts just around the nostrils, my guess is it does come from the nostrils. A cut could do the same of cause, the nostrils just seem more likely to do it to me. I wonder what could have damaged him inside his beak/airways/top of digestive tract/wherever it's coming from though. A sharp/pointy piece of bedding? A big piece of food that got stuck? A piece of his egg shell? Do you even have them on bedding?
I might try to wipe the blood off with at cotton swap, see if you can see where it comes from and maybe make it easier for him to breathe.

 

[selfsuffally]

I have them on paper towels right now. Was planning on putting bedding in this week. I didn't see any sharp pieces anywhereand their food is fine but not dusty. Tried wiping it off, but wouldn't budge. This morning I saw two more the same way. Could it be pecking from the others, even though I haven't seen that?

 

[DK newbie]

I guess it could. They see a dark spot and think it's food? Don't know if gambels tend to do that.

 

[Binki]

It looks pretty symmetrical for cannabilism but it's not out of the question, I don't have experience with Gambel's... How do the others look? Exact same?

What percent of protein are you feeding them? Too low will cause cannabilism. Is the food small enough for them? Usually have to grind it for the first few weeks for quail chicks.

Perhaps try a darker light than red, like a black heat lamp? *shrug* :O

 

[selfsuffally]

The majority do not have any blood on their beaks. Of those that do, they look pretty much the same. 24% protein, Manna Pro Gamebird. I loved them to my chicken brooder, which is a 4'X4' box. So far, no others have blood on their beaks.

 

[Binki]

Can you call up the person you got the eggs from to see if this stuff sometimes happens with Gambel's for whatever reason, aggression, etc? Sorry I don't have experience with them...