Chicks with patches of missing feathers.

[superjec]

Hello,
We bought six new Delaware chicks this week, and I've noticed that three of them are missing feathers and getting picked on. Two of these chicks are missing feathers on their neck. All of the other chicks are pecking on them and making these spots bleed. They are all drinking and eating fine. What should I do?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hello,
We bought six new Delaware chicks this week, and I've noticed that three of them are missing feathers and getting picked on. Two of these chicks are missing feathers on their neck. All of the other chicks are pecking on them and making these spots bleed. They are all drinking and eating fine. What should I do?

Blue food dye on the red areas. The color will molt out as they grow.

Also how big is their brooder? Pictures included please?

 

[superjec]

Thank you so much! We are working on getting a bigger brooder. We got the chicks for free because they were getting too old to keep in the store.

 

[coach723]

Definitely need a bigger brooder ASAP. That is probably a large reason for the feather picking. They also need a lot more room to get in and out of the heat source. A plastic kiddy pool can work for the short term, if you have one. You will need to cover it with wire to keep them from jumping out. They look like they are ready for some short perches also, gives them something to do, as well as some kind of shallow dish to give them dirt to dust bathe in and scratch around in, I use a big plastic plant saucer (easy to dump and clean). Do you know approx. how old they are?

 

[sourland]

I would separate the picked on birds from the others before it escalates to flat out cannibalism. More space is an absolute must.