Bloody tail - what can I do?

[JennieBean5]

We were gone for a few hours today and when we got home, one of our 15 chicks had 1/2 her tail feathers plucked and a large part of her body under the tail is raw and bloody. It looks absolutely horrible. We separated her and she's eating and drinking, but I feel SO awful for her! They all were getting along fine, I'm not sure what happened. For the next 2 weeks, the chicks will be alone during the daytime when my husband is at work as I will be out of town, and I'm so anxious something is going to happen. I feel sick that this poor chick was stuck in with the others for a few hours today while being wounded by the others, and she couldn't get away from them.

What should I do for the wounded chick? Should I put antibiotic ointment on it? She must be in pain, it looks awful. Is there anything I can do for her, that I would have at home, until the animal stores open tomorrow?

 

[hennyannie]

Great idea until you can get to the store for some product to stop the picking. Do you have lights on the chicks.

 

[JennieBean5]

Yes, I have red light on them.

 

[hennyannie]

Last year I had this problem alot, it happen at night when they were lock in the hutch I kept them in with the red light. I think maybe mine were needing less heat, because they never did it during the day in natural sunlight. I have used the spray on blue kote. Someone on the forum said it may not be safe so I was going to buy some of the stuff they sell for this problem. Also blood stop powder will stop the others from doing this to her. I hope I dont run into this with this years chicks. Is it cold where youare.

 

[hennyannie]

Also I forgot to ask if you are using a heat lamp bulb, If you are could you maybe use a regular bulb in red.

 

[JennieBean5]

It is cold where I live (high of 40F today) but the chicks are inside, with a red heat lamp - they are maybe 3 weeks old or so. I think they still need the heat lamp because they are still snuggled under it some of the time. They are in a very large box. I don't think this is a space issue. I have no idea why this happened...these chicks have all been together since we've had them - just over 2 weeks now. My 4 yr old came in the house first when we got home and always goes to see the chicks and she came running to the garage crying because she saw several other chicks doing this to this chick.

 

[hennyannie]

I have notice they usually start about that age, I think sometimes the feathers coming in their tails causes the fluff to come out then the skin is showing and someone pecks at it. Then you have blood they really are obsess with. The good news is I just kept spraying tails and eventually they stop because it then tasted nasty. I think anything nasty tasting will stop them. I have never lost a chick because of this, but I also have never been so frusrated with a chick as when they pull this stunt.

 

[hennyannie]

I read in an old chicken farming book that the "ole timers" used pine tar and/or axle grease to stop them. Murray McMurray hatchery sells pine tar for this purpose.

 

[JennieBean5]

What do you spray them with?

This is only our second year with chicks...we didn't experience this last year.

 

[hennyannie]

I was using a product last year called blue lotion, I am told it is the same as blue kote. If you look around on the forum you will see where a day or so ago there was some discussion on it maybe not being safe because the label say NOT SAFE FOR HORSES USED FOR FOOD. ( personally I would not eat a horse blue lotion or not). So I am wondering if I should ever use it again. Boy did it work on those pesky chicks, one taste and they left their friends rear alone.