Injured chick not thriving well

[klarson2004]

I recently had to separate one of my 4 week old buff orpington chicks from the rest of the chicks because she was pecked very badly in the vent, and she needs to heal. She has not been eating very much, and has lost some weight. I have heard that a chick cannot survive very well alone, but I am afraid to add another chick to her healing area because I don't want her to get pecked while she's healing. What should I do to get her to eat? I have tried to draw her attention to her food area, but she only wants me to pet her. I spend a lot of time with her so that she is not lonely, but I'm not sure what else to do so that she thrives.

 

[annek]

Can you make it so that she can still see the other chicks. I have seen people do a small separation using a window screen so that they can still be in the same box and see eachother, they just can't attack her. If not, find one other chick that seems gentle and put them together, sounds like she is very lonely. Would hate to see her die just because she is lonely and won't eat. Make sure you have a red light on them so she doesn't get attacked.

 

[sammi]

if you can get some Poly-vi-sol liquid baby vitamins..no iron (Enfamil brand makes a no iron formula)..and give 1-2 drops on beak once a day for a week..
the B vits might perk up the appetite..
can she see the other chicks?
could she be cold? (they will act droopy when cold)

wondering why the others were pecking the vent?
was she pasted up?
is the vent clear?
describe the droppings..color and consistency.
what bedding are you using?
how old are the chicks?

 

[klarson2004]

I think I am going to put her in her own large cage within the chicken coup and hope that she copies the eating habits of the other chicks.

 

[klarson2004]

All of the chicks are 4 weeks old. I have been using wood shavings for their bedding. I am not sure why they peck at each other because they are in a large chicken coop, but sometimes i have noticed a few that have been pecked and I will treat it with peroxide which stops the bleeding and the others from pecking. I am not sure why this one was pecked so badly, but it is on the smaller side compared to the rest. The stools are mainly white and runny, and I have noticed that it has a hard time making bowel movements, which must be due to the injuries. At this point, I am not sure if its lack of eating is caused by just loneliness, or because it is having a hard time processing food out the other end.

 

[annek]

Be careful with peroxide, I have read some threads that said not to use it but I don't remember why. I would just put an antibiotic on it like neosporin. Use the kind with no pain killer.

Don't know why they are pecking each other, that is not good. It may just be one doing it but you will need to find out who it is before they all start doing it. Once they start it seems to be very hard to stop. Watch them and see who it is then isolate them.

 

[sammi]

try a little oil around the vent..and also give a drop on beak, or oil soaked teeeeeny piece of bread...
a little baby applesauce and plain active culture yogurt.

what sort of light are you using?
how many chicks do you have in the brooder?
could they be crowded? (that can cause stress and make them peck)
sometimes if they're stopped up, they need help getting rid of it.
if not, they won't eat.
what temp are you keeping them at?

could it have been eating the bedding and be obstructed?

the white is urates. ("urine")

 

[klarson2004]

The chicks are out of the brooder. They are feathered out pretty well, and I stopped using the light because I noticed that they would avoid it. The rest of them have adjusted to this fine. Currently, the injured bird is in my house, in its own box. The temperature in here is at about 70 degrees F at night and lately it has been getting as hot as 78 degrees F in the house during the day. Aside from the oil, is there any other suggestions for helping the chick pass its stool?