Maybe getting picked on?

[flyin-lowe]

New to chicks, my flock is 3 RIR, 3 golden comets, and 3 barred rocks. They are about 20 weeks old, Ive had them home for 2 weeks. Last night I noticed one of the comets had some blood dripping from the back of it's comb right were it meets the skull. I watched and didn't see anything picking at it and about an hour later the blood was gone. So I figured it might have hit its head on something. Today I noticed one of the RIR had blood coming from the base of it tail, basically right were the ends of its wings lay on its back. The pictures below won't be much help as I was alone and she was not cooperating. I didn't see a bunch of feathers like she is being plucked, curious if there is something I should check or watch for?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Were these pullets raised together before you got them? If not then they will be setting up the pecking order which really should NOT involve blood.

I would get some peck no more or Blu Kote and apply to each and every hen that is bleeding. It should stop the pecking that seeing blood induces in all the other chickens.

I had a Polish that was being plucked on her head and YES the Blu Kote put a stop to it. Apparently she was tasty. When it would wear off or new feathers were not treated soon enough she would get pecked again. I can recommend the product as I have seen it work wonders.

Now I am not saying you have a feather plucker in your group but that it is a good idea to treat any bloody areas with Blu Kote or Peck No More to prevent others from pecking at the damaged area. (If it were a deep wound that may need additional treatment)

 

[flyin-lowe]

They did all come from the same breeder and the same barn but there was 1500 pullets in there so I am not sure if that would make them familiar with one another or not? The treatments you described, can those typically be bought locally (Rural King and TSC near by) or ordered online? The first wound I described on the comb of the comet did not seem to be bad at all. There was few drops of blood but it dried up quick. Today I can't really see anything or any "wound".

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yes the blu kote and Pick no more should be on the shelves at most feed stores that carry chicken food.

The one that worries me is the one near the tail. It looks red and red triggers them to peck. When new feather are growing in they will have a visible blood line in them and chickens will often pick at new feather growth during molting season too. I keep some pick no more on hand these days after the Polish had been mistreated by her flock mates.

OH and to stop bleeding corn starch works well in a pinch. Just moisten it to a thick paste and apply to wound. Again if a wound is deep it may need more attention then just the bleeding stopped. If you have another injury by the comb and it is bleeding a lot then try the corn starch paste to get it to stop. Comb injuries tend to bleed a lot.

 

[flyin-lowe]

I went to town and got a can of Blu Kote. Once I picked the chick up I noticed a couple feathers that look like they might have been broken off. There was less blood now then there was when I originally saw. I put a little shot of Blu Kote on her and turned her loose. I'm hoping its just a coincidence I had two bleeders in a 24 hour time period.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Originally at Rural King I couldn't find the Blu Kote, they had some Vetericyn, the shelf was marked 9.99. I figured I would give that a shot. Once I got to the register it rang up at $26.00. I went back and looked for the Blu Kote.

 

[21hens-incharge]

That would be a sticker shock for most of us if not all of us.
The Blue Kote should stop the madness from getting to out of hand.

Since they were in with so many chickens it is unlikely any of them had paired up as friends. The adjustment should not take much longer. The first week or two they probably spent getting used to the new digs now they have to learn to live with each other. Even the old ladies in my coop will have a spat every now and then. The queen cannot always stay as queen so the underlings will challenge for position off and on.