chicks Bleeding

[smarquis86]

hi i have 4 rir, 1 slw, 1glw, and 4 bsl. i went out to the brooder to check on them and all the sex links are being picked. they are 3 1/2 weeks old and this is the first sign off picking. i have them in a 150 gallon rubber maid horse trough. i have a clear 250 watt bulb. why are the picking on the sex links only and how do i separate them but not keep them away so when the are healed they wont be accepted back in to the flock. please help they are bloody on there bottoms and also on there right shoulder.

 

[schellie69]

Once chickens see blood they won't stop put a red bulb in that should help take the ones that are bleeding clean their wounds and put some antibiotic ordainment without pain relief or some blue kote you could put a piece of chicken wire up to keep the injured ones safe from the others.

 

[smarquis86]

thank you i just put a temporary barrier in the brooder to keep them separate. any ideas why they are picking on just the sex links.

 

[schellie69]

with chickens who knows. it could have started because one had food on them then they went for the one that looked like that one. But once they see that blood red they keep pecking. A lot of folks use blue kote (sp) because it turns it blue or purple confuses the chickens. Good luck.