Chicks attacked Penny, now bleeding and lost her tail feathers

[Ms. Cluckingly]

So I appologize if a thread like this has been started before, but I'm still pretty green with raising chicks. So, we left today for several hours to pick up our new chicken run. (YAY!!!) So when we came back home we heard loud peeping where the chicks were and when I got there I found my poor Penny's tail feathers had been completely plucked out and she was bleeding all over her rump.

I immediatly plucked her out of the brooder and cuddled her and put some neosporin on her bum. We've made a separation in the brooder and Penny is alone now, but she was still trying to get back to them. She hopped over a few times (so we made it taller now), but then they started pecking her again. It really upset me because out of all of them, Penny is the most tame. She's a sweet girl. So, what can I do? How long do I need to separate her and when she goes back with them, will they continue the behavior? What makes them do this? I mean, I've heard of the pecking order, but they were really going after her bloody bum (no pun intended). She just cuddled up in my hands and fell asleep, then woke up and pooed on me. So I suppose that means her vent is ok. Anyway, any advice would be great. Thanks yall!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Is the area you have them in big enough for all of them? They usually pluck feathers when 1- they are crowded 2-lacking enough protien in their diet.

Once they spot any blood, it's on. They will keep plucking and pulling until she dies. Get some BlueKot at your farm supply and put it on her.

 

[Qi Chicken]

I don't know a lot about all this but I have read that once the damage is done and there is blood it is kind of like a bull and a red flag. They just HAVE to peck at it. If you don't already have a red light I would put one in there, they won't be able to see the blood spots as well. If you have another chick that is friendly to penny and wouldn't peck her I would put just one with her. If none of them would be nice put a little mirror. I don't think you should put her back with the others until she is healed. She may feel kind of traumatized by all the pecking, you could give her some electrolytes or rescue remedy (a bach flower remedy) something like that. They may have chosen Penny because she is less aggressive and therefore the most tame.

 

[Ms. Cluckingly]

Thanks for your help. They are still on chick feed, with treats daily. So maybe they are crowded? I'm using the bottom of a huge dog kennel for them and they are just 3 weeks old. I guess I'll have to find a big refrigerator box. lol So how long do I keep them apart?

 

[Qi Chicken]

How many do you have? Mine are three weeks on Monday and I just doubled their brooder size from about 3.5 by 3 to 7 by 3. I have 16. I taped two washing machine boxes together. Until today they just had one box. My local hardware store says that fridges come bubble wrapped usually now. No ginormous boxes.

I have read that the general rule for brooder space is .5 square foot per chick until 3 weeks and 1 square foot after that. The past few days I felt mine were getting very crowded so I increased today.

The funny thing is I just now posted on how with all this new space they are being VERY aggressive and fighting with eachother. One is especially trying to pull feathers. Sometimes you just can't win!

I haven't used bluekot. It is a great idea. I don't know much about it but I think that it both speeds healing and hides the injury but I don't know how long you should wait until reuniting them. Hope someone else will help you out. I definitely wouldn't let her back until she is pretty well healed.

I hear mine in there sqwacking up a storm. Better go check!

 

[Yessur Ebob]

smear some pine sap on the picked area. chickens hate the taste of it. usually they get one taste of it and then wipe their mouths out.