Had one of my chicks brutally attacked ...

[EggMan207]

Yesterday, I had one of my chicks (a black australorp) attacked by the older chickens. She's 9 weeks old. We just put the chicks in this week. They pecked the back of her head and neck quite badly. The skin is pushed up on the top of her head so it sort of covers one of her eyes and it looks like she's been scalped. We honestly, weren't too sure she would make it.

The hens were bullying the chicks quite a bit, but nothing too serious, and I was actually buying supplies to make a chicken jail.

I separated all the other chicks from the hens, and made it so the hens can see them, but not get to them, and took the australorp and put her in a box by herself while she heal. I put some anti-septic spray on her and then some blu-kote. She seems to be doing much better today.

Is there anything else that I should be doing to care for the australorp at this point?

I'm reading that we'll need to keep her in her own doghouse/pen moving forward. Is this necessary?

Also, how do I prevent this from happening to the other chicks once I let them back into the big pen? Is this a cannibalism issue, and if so, how do I stop it? Or is it more of a bullying issue?

Your advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[PD-Riverman]

You are dealing with a situation---like Many----any time you try to put young with older---there is a ""chance"" this will happen----no matter how you try to set-up to try and introduce them.

I got tired of this----hurt/dead/picked on chicks so I never mix the young with the old----I just made a extra pen for the young to grow up in----then I can introduce the young grown with the older grown if I want----at least being the same size they stand a better chance of defending themselves.

As far as the Hurt----really nothing else I would do other than what you have stated you have done. You will have to keep the hurt one separated for some time until it heals or even the young chicks it age will peck on the wound. Good Luck

 

[EggMan207]

That's probably how we'll integrate them moving forward.