Chicks dying-one in recovery

Dtbcmb

Chirping
Jul 8, 2022
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42
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So I had gotten 4 saphire OE Chicks a little while back. Integration went over great and they joined the flock and was living with them harmoniously for a couple of weeks. All the sudden-the older chickens (2 months and some a bit older) have turned on my chicks all together with random pecking. Including my one older silkie chick that I have had for over a month now. I found 2 dead OE 2 mornings ago and one dead OE this morning. I have one OE left and a very out of it silkie who I thought had his eye pecked out but upon further inspection he had something in it which I removed. He's still acting VERY out of it. He isn't moving around much. I quarantined him and put some sugar water in his little box with him along with some food and a blanket. He isn't much younger then my oldest chickens-maybe by a week or so- he has always been pretty small but very active. I don't know if an illness has hit and the other ones are attacking the ill ones (poops look fine) . The lethargic behavior is new as of today for the silkie chick. And the only other symptom is his eye which may or may not be related and he did have a bit of a pasty bum from sitting so much. The other chick seemed a bit slow this morning but is running around and acting totally normal now. The only time the older chickens seem to bother them in first thing in the morning when they seem very out of it (the smaller ones). I am going to attach some photos of my silkie chick under this to see if anything stands out to anyone. His eye is still a bit irritated but he can actually open it now. Super new to illnesses and injuries so advice is definitely needed.
 
Can you get vetrycin opthalmic gel for his eye? Or oh you don't have that, clean his eye with saline and then put Neosporin on it (without pain reliever).

Integration is rough! My older hens scalped one of my chicks yesterday. He's recovering.... Horrifying side of chickens.
 
Sorry my cell is extremely slow to load photos.
 

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Can you get vetrycin opthalmic gel for his eye? Or oh you don't have that, clean his eye with saline and then put Neosporin on it (without pain reliever).

Integration is rough! My older hens scalped one of my chicks yesterday. He's recovering.... Horrifying side of chickens.
Sorry to read about your chicks. Definitely bring them out from the rest of the girls and grow them out before attempting intregration. This process takes several weeks of "look and don't touch" then you can release them under direct supervision. It's not always an easy process if a broody isn't protecting them.
What breed are your other chickens? Some breeds are more agressive than others.
 
Can you get vetrycin opthalmic gel for his eye? Or oh you don't have that, clean his eye with saline and then put Neosporin on it (without pain reliever).

Integration is rough! My older hens scalped one of my chicks yesterday. He's recovering.... Horrifying side of chickens.
It really is! I just have no idea why they turned on my silkie chick all the sudden as well. They've been together since they were 1 and 2 weeks old. He is the only bantam chick and the only light colored one. Aside from that there is no difference. They've all gotten along so well for quite a while now.
 
Sorry to read about your chicks. Definitely bring them out from the rest of the girls and grow them out before attempting intregration. This process takes several weeks of "look and don't touch" then you can release them under direct supervision. It's not always an easy process if a broody isn't protecting them.
What breed are your other chickens? Some breeds are more agressive than others.
I have two 8-9 week old silkie hens, 3 barred rock hens and 1 new Hampshire red hen. The NHR hen has always been best friends with the silkie chick. Which always made me laugh since they are my only 2 buff colored chicks that I have. And they are only a week apart in age. Now she has grown a lot and he has stayed pretty small but they've always been a round eachother. So the change in temperament is odd to me. I kind of understood the OE chicks since they were still semi new to the flock. But why they decided to turn on him as well has me puzzled.
 
It really is! I just have no idea why they turned on my silkie chick all the sudden as well. They've been together since they were 1 and 2 weeks old. He is the only bantam chick and the only light colored one. Aside from that there is no difference. They've all gotten along so well for quite a while now.
They could also not be permitted to drink and eat regularly and this heat is very hard on chicks. I say, keep them separated until grown out. At least then, you can attempt to integrate them and they can fend for themselves under your supervision. Intregration can be a tricky process. Sometimes it works and sometimes you end up with two separate flocks and coops. Right now, just get your little chicks on the mend. Make them scrambled eggs and offer Nutra drench or Save a chick
Being bullied and beat up is very stressful.
 
It really is! I just have no idea why they turned on my silkie chick all the sudden as well. They've been together since they were 1 and 2 weeks old. He is the only bantam chick and the only light colored one. Aside from that there is no difference. They've all gotten along so well for quite a while now.
You said he'sthe "only bantam chick and the only light colored one". They're your answer. He is different.
Still grow him out then try again only under direct supervision after several weeks of "Look and can't touch" situation.
I have a group of girls that would never accept my Polish breeds. They look too different. Now, I have two flocks and two coops. I learned the hard way with one being scalped after weeks of being intregrated just like you and the billing never stopped. So I had to stop it myself.
 
You said he'sthe "only bantam chick and the only light colored one". They're your answer. He is different.
Still grow him out then try again only under direct supervision after several weeks of "Look and can't touch" situation.
I have a group of girls that would never accept my Polish breeds. They look too different. Now, I have two flocks and two coops. I learned the hard way with one being scalped after weeks of being intregrated just like you and the billing never stopped. So I had to stop it myself.
That is super unfortunate. I was hoping my older silkies would do better but they are both dark as well and few weeks older. Separating permenately would definitely be rough since we free range but if it comes down to it I will have to. I was hoping I wouldn't run into too many issues with this but I guess chickens are pretty cut throat when it comes to how they want things 😩
 

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