Chick in the feeder = food??

[KCNC06]

We have one of those metal chick feeders with the sliding top...I've never liked it. It's not very easy to open and close. Well, last night before I went to bed I used it just because I didn't have time to clean the chick poo off the other feeders and all that. Plus the chicks seem to like the slide-top feeder, I think because it's longer and there's more room for everyone to fit around it. Anyway, the top wouldn't slide all the way on, there was a gap about 1.5 " at one end...didn't seem like a big deal....until I went to check on the chicks this morning and one of my RIR chicks had managed to squeeze itself through the gap and got into the feeder. Apparently in the mind of a chick, anything in the feeder is feed. So this poor RIR chick has been pecked quite a bit. He (I'm starting to assume it's a "he"...it's 4 wks old and its comb is pretty red) doesn't seem to be all that bothered, not nearly as bothered as I was by the whole thing. As soon as we popped the lid of this death trap of a feeder, he stood up and started flapping his wings. His back, wings, tail and neck are raw and bloody. I cleaned his wounds and put him in his own cage with paper towels on the bottom instead of wood shavings. Again, he doesn't seem to be bothered at all. I keep checking on him and he's just standing around picking the food bits off his chest, as if he's saying "Wow, those guys were right - I am tasty!"

Other than keeping him clean and separated from the others...and not using that death trap of a feeder EVER again (since I've learned my lesson on using a feeder that I can't close all the way!!!)...is there anything else that I can, or should be doing for this chick?

 

[happymorrows]

Again, he doesn't seem to be bothered at all. I keep checking on him and he's just standing around picking the food bits off his chest, as if he's saying "Wow, those guys were right - I am tasty!"

Ah, the mind of a chicken. Isn't it glorious

 

[crtrlovr]

try using some neosporin or generic triple antibiotic ointment without the painkiller in it. Keep him warm and isolated from the others until his wounds COMPLETELY heal. If you put it back too early, they'll keep picking at the wounds. You may have to gradually reintroduce him to the flock after his separation & healing time.

 

[happymorrows]

Oh, and in response to your question. I kept my 4 week old chick that got pecked badly apart from the pack for a day or two, just until the area had scabbed over. But they are in the coop, and she has an 8x10 foot area to get away from the "peckers". You have to get him past that "tasty fresh meat" look/smell, and make sure he has plenty of room to get away from the others if he is not completely healed. If they are in the brooder still I would wait until he starts growing feathers back before he hangs out with the others unsupervised. I took mine for visits daily, so they didn't forget who she was. I felt like a little (very thin little) bit of triple antibiotic ointment sped up the healing process. I also cleaned it really well with very dilute soapy water. It might take longer for your little fella since he has more extensive injuries. Hope that helps!

 

[KCNC06]

I just took a picture of him and told him I hope he's embarrassed because I'm posting pictures online, he's over there chirping his little head off right now. Poor guy.

He isn't really acting like he's in that much pain, at least not the way I'd be acting if I looked this bad!! They are still in the brooder, so I think I'll keep his little tank near the others in the brooder so they can at least see each other. Of course, maybe that's not the best idea...they seem to scream an awful lot if they can see each other but not get to each other. Silly chick...as you can see in this picture, I put a little dish of feed in the tank with him. The tank is too small to fit a bigger feeder, he'll move into a bigger cage later this afternoon. Anyway, he spilled the food and just laid down in it. Yup, silly chicks.