Chicks with red vent, blood in excrement, please help

[Embuck]

Hello,
We currently have some new chicks, almost two weeks old. Three days ago, when I went in I found a chick being chased and picked by the others. Her vent was nasty, all red. I attributed the redness to the picking. She seemed to have lost all muscular control; a whitish liquid was oozing out. I cleaned her up, and isolated her in a small cage with food and water. She would neither eat or drink, and would barely toddle around. She could still kick and peep strongly, as I discovered whenever I cleaned her up. All she would do was sleep. In about 24 hours she was dead. I attributed this to the picking and decided that it probably wouldn't happen again.
I was wrong. This evening I went out there and found a second one. She wasn't even fleeing the others, just huddling in a miserable lump. I isolated her, and took a few pictures, one of which is shown below. This one is a little different; she won't walk and will hardly peep. In addition, there are faint traces of blood in her poop. When she tries, unsuccessfully, to "go," there is a sputtering noise, like the sound of air coming out of a pipe. I'm pretty sure we'll lose her too. If anyone can help, please do so soon, before the others get it and die.

 

[Eggcessive]

This is vent pecking and cannibalism, which can be common in chickens without enough room, or who may not be receiving enough protein. Sometimes if the brooder lamp is red, it can help to keep them from seeing the color red and pecking. Make sure they are in a large enough brooder, getting only a 20% chick starter feed, and it helps to have things to climb on and explore. A large lump of grass and sod is great entertainment, and some little play roosts can be fun to climb on. Mixing different age chicks can also invite pecking. Separate any overly aggressive chicks. Nustock cream can be applied to a red bottom, but if there is damage, they need to be separated and treated with plain Neosporin. Here is some reading: https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2902/2902-1095/2902-1095_pdf.pdf

 

[Embuck]

Thank you very much! When I saw the blood, which seemed to have come from an internal injury, I was sure it was some illness. The second chick died last night. It turns out they have a little under 1/4 square feet per chick, so I'll go out and give them more room in a little. The chicks all get regular, non-GMO feed. After the first mortality, I switched to a red bulb, which is on at night. During the day the outdoor temperature is warm enough that they don't need it. They have the old roosts in there, and they are just getting enough feathers now to fly up onto it. The typical temperature in there is about 80-85 degrees.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your loss, but I hope you have good luck with your chicks.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Thank you very much! When I saw the blood, which seemed to have come from an internal injury, I was sure it was some illness. The second chick died last night. It turns out they have a little under 1/4 square feet per chick, so I'll go out and give them more room in a little. The chicks all get regular, non-GMO feed. After the first mortality, I switched to a red bulb, which is on at night. During the day the outdoor temperature is warm enough that they don't need it. They have the old roosts in there, and they are just getting enough feathers now to fly up onto it. The typical temperature in there is about 80-85 degrees.

If by regular, non-GMO feed you mean layer feed for adult chickens, you need to add more protein. Layer feed is generally 16% protein. Growing chicks need 20% or higher. Too low protein can lead to feather pecking. If you do not have immediate access to a higher protein chick feed, crush up some hard-boiled egg yolks and add them to their feed. Some good organic yogurt with multiple live cultures would be helpful, too.

 

[Embuck]

Sorry, I should have mentioned that. The feed is chick starter.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Sorry, I should have mentioned that. The feed is chick starter.

Good to hear.

Egg yolks and yogurt are still good additions and can't hurt.