HELP! Mama's nearly killed chicks... now what

[Stonerowfarm]

I have been letting my bantam hens brood in the coop. There were six hens brooding in different corners of the coop (they won't use the nesting boxes). These are two red cochins, two frizzles and two silkies. In one corner a red cochin and a silkie were "raising" two chicks that hatched about a week and a half or two weeks ago. They were also sitting on a clutch of eggs. When one mama got up to eat, the other sat on the eggs. We've had a couple crushed eggs with dead chicks but they seemed to be great moms - until today.

I just went out to check on them and the one baby looked dead, lying on it's side. The other baby was sitting up shreiking with a gash just above it's wing. I've taken the babies out of the coop and have them in a brooder box with food, water and a heat lamp. I've been very lucky and over the past several years have never had a chickie 9-1-1 but now what. What else should I be doing? And, if they survive and heal up do I give them back to their mamas? I'm at a total loss here, but I want to do everything I can to help these little ones life.

 

[Ilovemyladies!]

I wouldn't give them back to her, just raise them in a brooder. Also treat the chick's wing with some anti-biotic. Hope this helps!

 

[Stonerowfarm]

I'm definitely not giving them back to the mama's. I just went into the coop and there were several more crushed chickies tucked into the bedding. I don't know if they are peeping and the other birds are crushing them or what but they look like chicks ready to hatch when they're crushed. Needless to say I pulled out anything that looks like it might be viable and put them in an incubator. I'll try to figure out if I can candle them later tonite. The whole coop has been cleaned, swept and new bedding put down.

As far as the injured chickies.... I have Blu-Kote but is that too aggressive a treatment for such young birds? Or, should I just use Neosporin-type ointment. I've used Blu-Kote on older birds and goats, but never on anything this young.

Thank you!

 

[chicken farmer 1997]

you can use blu not. i would kill the hens and eat them u can make more money off the chickens than the hens

 

[Ilovemyladies!]

I'm glad to help

I'm not sure about Blu-Kote but I've always used Neosporin on anything w/ a cut. Although I've never used it on a chick, so I'm not sure. But I don't think it would hurt it, so I'd try it for a couple days. Hope everything works out!