Bloody Tail Feathers

[BrickBarn Acres]

Yesterday I noticed that one of the 3 week old chicks had a bloody spot where her tail feathers are starting to come in. She is the last one to develop tail feathers. The other chicks were pecking at the bloody area so I removed her, cleaned her up, applied some "Peck No More" and kept her isolated overnight. This morning everything looked dried up, but I went ahead and applied a little more medicine and put her back in the brooder with her friends. She's eating OK and taking water, but now she's pecking at the spot where everyone else was pecking at it yesterday. Everyone else is curious about the spot on her behind and they are inspecting it, but they're not pecking at it - just her. Should I be worried or should I be doing anything else about this. Right now everyone seems content and getting along, just hate to see her pecking at herself.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Good that you caught this early on and separated and applied some no pick ointments. I would just keep an eye on her. If she starts to pick too much and the others start to pick her as well, I would remove her for a day or so and the stress of being alone might break her of this habit. She can heal off by herself and maybe she will forget about these feathers. Chicks and chickens can be cannibals and they go after blood really fast. So always get right on things such as this quick so nobody gets hurt. Chicks pick at everything. All they have is their beaks to explore their environment. Eventually they stop picking at things

You can also keep them busy with things in the brooder to take the attention away from this birds tail. Put in some cut branches from a tree outside, put them in the brooder for them to play on. Get a low cut box and put things in there for them to scratch around in like dried leaves, some sand, chick starter, alfalfa leaves, etc....breaks up boredom and takes their minds of picking on each other or themselves....



Enjoy your new babies and welcome to our flock!

 

[BrickBarn Acres]

thanks for the post - it's working.

She stopped pecking at herself and is running around with a dandelion in her beak so proud.

The others are busy with a stick and dandelions.

 

[drumstick diva]

How great is that

I wonder if after she was raw - the" no pick" stung at first, making her peck herself. Glad to her she stopped.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!

 

[nj2wv]

Welcome to BYC !!

 

[BantamLover21]

I'm glad you joined our "flock!"

Good luck with your chicks! Hopefully, the injured one heals up well.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!