Help! Chick trying to eat its own toe =(

[happyhens]

I noticed blood in the brooder, and tracked it down to one of my mille fleur chicks. I got it from TSC today, along with 7 other chicks, and there are also 5 chicks in the brooder that I hatched myself. These chicks are only 1-2 days old. I figured the other chicks were pecking it, but I watched for a little while and it started pecking its own toe! And not just picking at it, it was really pecking hard. And of course, the other chicks are now pecking at it too. I have tried covering it up with a piece of a cotton ball and tape, and a band-aid, but everything I try keeps coming off. I know that red bulbs reduce cannibalism, but I have used white lights before with no problem so I was not expecting this at all. So I don't have a red bulb, and I won't be able to get one until tomorrow. I don't know what else to do

Help?

 

[paddock36]

Do you have any bluekote that you could put on the injury. The blue color discourages the pecking.

 

[Quinn4321]

hmmm lets see. try masking tape on it. idk if u work with horses but if you do and have some healex handy that might work too.

 

[Judy]

Or duct tape.

 

[paddock36]

The duct tape just reminded me. How about making a little shoe with bandaids. That will give it time to heal without all the glue completely on it.

 

[Cass]

Check your people First Aid kit....some of them come with some AWESOME medical tape (the kind nurses use to hold stubborn bandages in place) If you have some of that, I sincerely doubt the chick will be able to get it off it's toe....I find NexCare brand bandaids are almost impossible to remove from people skin. If you have that brand around it might work until you can get something more appropriate.

 

[Chickengal505]

Quote:
X2

 

[melodie_a]

We had the exact same problem with one of our little brahmas. It actually was bleeding

and it would not leave it alone and the other chicks were getting in on the action also. I removed it and cleaned it off really good and dried it and then held it in my lap in a warm fuzzy blanket for about an hour so it could take a long nap. I think this gave it time to stop bleeding and forget about it for a while. It was much better when I put it back in with the rest.

 

[happyhens]

Thanks everyone! I wrapped it again, and when the bandage came off the bleeding had stopped and they have all seemed to stop picking at it. I guess they forgot about it too. Hopefully we won't have any more problems! I'm still switching back to red light though, as soon as I can!