Chick with wound…is it safe to separate her?

[SelfSufficientMe]

I have an almost 3 week old chick with a raw spot on its neck. Appears to be missing feathers and a wound or two as well. I’m wondering it the other chicks have done this (8 chicks total) or if something else is going on. Only one chick has this issue. Should I keep the chick separated for her safety? I have her separated at the moment but I feel awful. Any advice/recommendations would be appreciated. I put blue kote on it so it’s not as red in the photo as it actually looks without the blue. The wound looked worse before adding it. Especially under the red heat lamp. FYI heat lamp is not directly over chicks. It’s offered on one end of the brooder. Thank you!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

If the other chicks aren't picking at it sometimes separation can be more stressful. Unless you're sure the other chicks caused it in which case you can try to separate them. If you can do it SL they can still see each other that would be best.

 

[SelfSufficientMe]

If the other chicks aren't picking at it sometimes separation can be more stressful. Unless you're sure the other chicks caused it in which case you can try to separate them. If you can do it SL they can still see each other that would be best.

Thank you. I ended up putting the chick back out there last night. It was 80 degrees where I live so I turned the heat lamp off. I figured at least the wound wouldn’t be on display and maybe the chicks wouldn’t mess with her. She was fine this morning. I also let them out of the brooder into a larger enclosed space for the day today. Hopefully the combination will give her a chance. Thanks again.

 

[SelfSufficientMe]

If the other chicks aren't picking at it sometimes separation can be more stressful. Unless you're sure the other chicks caused it in which case you can try to separate them. If you can do it SL they can still see each other that would be best.

Chicks got her again She has been treated and is now by herself in a cage alongside the other chicks. Hopefully after a week or two she’ll be healed enough. We’ll see. Other than the wound, she seems fine.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Ouch! Poor chick. I haven't seen little ones be so vicious but I can see how once they get started they keep going. If they see red they will peck at it. I did have a big one step on a day old and I thought she was toast but I separated the big ones in a wire kennel inside the brooder. I couldn't keep the little ones from squeezing in with the big ones so I gave up. She is fine but that's the worst chick injury I've had from another. I have had larger pullets peck one to death on a car ride though. That was bad. Good luck and keep use posted!

 

[Devorah]

Chicks got her again She has been treated and is now by herself in a cage alongside the other chicks. Hopefully after a week or two she’ll be healed enough. We’ll see. Other than the wound, she seems fine.

Hi there! I have a 4-week old chick going through the same thing. She’s the runt. Last weekend I separated her out of the flock because I noticed her neck was bleeding and raw with blisters and no feathers. I thought perhaps the others had been docking at her because of her size. She was very unhappy even though she was in a cage adjacent to the brooder and could look inside and see the bad girls she so longed to be with! I tried everything: vetricyn, then DE for what I thought could be parasites — but she started self-pecking and scratching, making her neck even worse. I got desperate and went to our dog’s vet who treats poultry. She said she likely had mites, but definitely a bacterial infection so she gave me a liquid treatment via syringe for the mites and an antibiotic bus syringe for the infection. She is still scratching and I’m not seeing much improvement. Also, she is so stressed out by not being in the main brooder. Ugh!

What happened with your chick? How is she? How did she react to the blu-kote?

 

[SelfSufficientMe]

Hi there! I have a 4-week old chick going through the same thing. She’s the runt. Last weekend I separated her out of the flock because I noticed her neck was bleeding and raw with blisters and no feathers. I thought perhaps the others had been docking at her because of her size. She was very unhappy even though she was in a cage adjacent to the brooder and could look inside and see the bad girls she so longed to be with! I tried everything: vetricyn, then DE for what I thought could be parasites — but she started self-pecking and scratching, making her neck even worse. I got desperate and went to our dog’s vet who treats poultry. She said she likely had mites, but definitely a bacterial infection so she gave me a liquid treatment via syringe for the mites and an antibiotic bus syringe for the infection. She is still scratching and I’m not seeing much improvement. Also, she is so stressed out by not being in the main brooder. Ugh!

What happened with your chick? How is she? How did she react to the blu-kote?

I had a baby almost two weeks ago and felt bad not giving the chick enough of my time. I gave her away to a woman who took good care of her. Unfortunately she passed away. She said she went out to check on her one evening and she was covered in ants. Said she was doing great beforehand, so I do not know what happened.

When I had her, she was healing up great. I put her closer to her brood mates but still had her separated and a younger chick somehow got into the enclosure and opened her wound back up. The woman who took her in said it was healing. I wish I had a better turnout for you. Good luck with your chick.

 

[Devorah]

I had a baby almost two weeks ago and felt bad not giving the chick enough of my time. I gave her away to a woman who took good care of her. Unfortunately she passed away. She said she went out to check on her one evening and she was covered in ants. Said she was doing great beforehand, so I do not know what happened.

When I had her, she was healing up great. I put her closer to her brood mates but still had her separated and a younger chick somehow got into the enclosure and opened her wound back up. The woman who took her in said it was healing. I wish I had a better turnout for you. Good luck with your chick.

I’m so sorry! It sounds like you invested a lot of love in that bird. That alone is amazing. It’s brutal when we’re faced with pure nature. Your chick was ultimately not strong enough despite all the love and care. Of course, I’m hoping that Sophie heals and makes it, and will do everything I can to support her, but I’m bracing myself for the other course. Thanks so much for writing back — and congratulations on having a baby!