Blu-kote on chicks?

[Brightbird]

So this week old chick has an old pecking wound after it’s mom rejected it, its beginning to heal but it’s still a big red wound on its back. The chick is currently alone since it was the only one that hatched but we will be getting a couple friends for it in a couple days and im worried about the new chicks potentially pecking the wound and reopening it. I’ve read that blu-kote deters pecking. Is this true and can it be used on chicks, and for such a wound, or will I have to find another way to stop the pecking?

The chick also appears to have a twisted wing but I don’t think it’s broken, as the chick is still able to move it just like the other wing. The feathers just look kind of backwards for some reason. It doesn’t impede the chick’s ability to care for itself at all. Will this also be an issue with the new chicks or will it be okay?

Also does anyone know of any good household alternative to store bought bedding? I was going to put some bedding in the box so I could remove the towel, but I sadly discovered mites living in it. The towel seems to make it hard for the chick to balance due to the folds and I’m worried that the chick will get a leg injury. Would something like paper towels work or is that a hazard?

 

[Brightbird]

My dad just told me we’ll be getting the new chicks tomorrow, hopefully we’ll be able to find a good anti-pecking item at the store we head off to whether it be blu-kote or something else.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

The chick's feathers look like frizzle feathers. I hope you found some answers at the store. Im sorry no one replied to your thread at the time. I would have used the blu kote just to be safe, I don't think it would have harmed the chick.
How is it doing now?

 

[Brightbird]

The chick's feathers look like frizzle feathers. I hope you found some answers at the store. Im sorry no one replied to your thread at the time. I would have used the blu kote just to be safe, I don't think it would have harmed the chick.
How is it doing now?

It’s doing just fine. It’s wing feathers still look a bit off on the one wing but it is still able to take flight. Sadly everywhere we looked were out of chicks at the time and our chick is now 4 weeks old, so I think getting them friends is not feasible anymore. We gave them a mirror instead and they seem to like it very much. They’re in a cage originally meant for dog training now instead of a cardboard box so they can get ventilation and look outside. We also got our hands on a heating plate so we could ditch the lamp.
This was today. I let them out for a little bit before putting them in a box so I could clean out the cage real quick. Our feed store is out of chick grit and has been out of it for about a week, and I want to get some grit before putting down bedding because I’m worried they’ll try to eat it and suffer crop impaction if they can’t break it down with anything. The towels were fine, the chick can walk and run around with no issue so I guess my fear of them was all for nothing, but bedding would still be better I think.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Aww I'm so glad to hear your youngster is growing well! The chick looks healthy. I'm not sure what the cause of the unusually formed wing feathers would be.

If you found one the same age I think you could integrate them. Chickens love friends and usually thrive when together. You can put out a want ad on craigslist for a four week old chick and see what you find. The mirror and attention from you is the next best thing.

Can I ask what breed or mix of breeds this chick is? I'm just curious.

Bedding in a dog crate or wire cage can bring its own set of issues, I raised my original sox that love here In a dog crate for a while. I had to put a cardboard wall all the way around the bottom half to prevent it from spilling all over and getting kicked out of the brooder. We ended up setting the crate on top of a tarp to limit the mess haha. Chicks love to dustbathe in it so it makes them happy and keeps them busy.

 

[Brightbird]

Aww I'm so glad to hear your youngster is growing well! The chick looks healthy. I'm not sure what the cause of the unusually formed wing feathers would be.

If you found one the same age I think you could integrate them. Chickens love friends and usually thrive when together. You can put out a want ad on craigslist for a four week old chick and see what you find. The mirror and attention from you is the next best thing.

Can I ask what breed or mix of breeds this chick is? I'm just curious.

Bedding in a dog crate or wire cage can bring its own set of issues, I raised my original sox that love here In a dog crate for a while. I had to put a cardboard wall all the way around the bottom half to prevent it from spilling all over and getting kicked out of the brooder. We ended up setting the crate on top of a tarp to limit the mess haha. Chicks love to dustbathe in it so it makes them happy and keeps them busy.

We think it might be part white leghorn and buff orpington. I say think because we don’t know for sure if the rooster is a leghorn, my dad got him from another backyard chicken keeper that claimed he was a leghorn but we don’t really know whether he’s a mix or not or if he has any leghorn blood in him at all. And while the chick’s mom was one of our rhode island red’s we know that it was a buff orpington egg it came out of.

I’ll talk to my dad about looking for a 4 week old chick but I think he’s a bit apprehensive to get more chicks. Even back when the chick was a week old he only gave in because I kept bringing it up. He wants to keep the flock relatively small and we can’t do that if we keep getting chicks.