New, wounded chick, need advice

[ketokinak]

Hello, we were given fertile eggs from a neighbor and hatched 6 healthy chicks 3 weeks ago. They are a layer mixed breed. Have been reading this site a lot (thank you!). Chicks were not sexed, so we are waiting to find out what we have.

Chicks are in a 2X2.5 foot cage in our house (we are in Alaska, waiting for chicks to get more feathers before going out to coop).
Woke at 3am to distressed chirps, 5 chicks were all pecking on 1 of the chicks, 'Rachel'. She was bleeding from an area on her wing and neck.

I isolated her and cleaned with peroxide and applied Bacitracin. Wounds are pretty superficial, just very raw.

So, is this unusual for this age of chick (3 weeks)? They seem young for this! Are they too crowded? Should I move them out to 4X6 foot insulated coop now with heat lamp? (And keep her in until healed?)

I worry that had they not been in my house, I would have woken to a fatally injured chick.
Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

 

[ALJhappychicken]

Were your other chicks pecking at the injured one? Chickens are cannibalistic; if they see blood, they'll try to get it. Gross, isn't it? Anyway, isolating the chick was a good idea. I wonder if the cold weather has anything to do with your problem. How many heat lamps do you have? Mabry a larger house would be a good idea. And I don't think 3 weeks would be a good age to move the chicks out whether the weather is bad or not. I moved mine out at about six weeks. Hope it works out.

 

[ketokinak]

Yes, other chicks were pecking at her viciously. The cage is in my home 68-70 degree and I have a heat lamp over their cage. I don't have a larger cage, but could set up more bins?

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about the problems you are having with the chicks. If young chicks are pecking each other badly it is often due to crowded conditions / they are bored or they are too hot... I would definitely try to get them in a larger space or the coop with the heat lamp if you can, and make sure the brooder/coop has cooler spots. Keep the hurt one in until she has healed, you might spray Blu-Kote or something similar on her injury, the color helps to keep the other chicks from picking on her. Double check the injured one to be sure nothing else is wrong, chicks will also often pick on weaker/sick flockmates.

 

[Eggcessive]

I believe you need more room. At this age they are becoming very active, starting to fly out of the brooder, and starting to establish their pecking order. She also may have something wrong with her or be a weak one, and they sense it. I would return her to the group as soon as possible, because it will be harder to put her back in if they forget her. If you can find BluKote to spray on her wound (keep away from eyes) over the ointment to hide the wound from pecking, I would put her back in and observe their behavior before leaving her. Blue or green food coloring may also work.

 

[ketokinak]

She was always the most mellow, but growing well and one of the bigger chicks. Do wonder if they sensed something...

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC - seriously doubt that they 'sensed something' - as others have suggested, they probably need more space.

 

[ALJhappychicken]

I think that bins or tubs would work. Newspapers on th floor is a good idea. Sadly, it's usually the mellow, innocent ones that fall victim to sickness.

 

[ketokinak]

So, I bought and put the blue stuff on the wound (pick-no-more). Rigged her up in a tote and put a buddy in there. Purposefully picked a big buddy who is not an instigator, but defends himself well. Will try to post a pic of their arrangement. How long should I keep separate? Weather is 40-70 F here. Can the other 4 move out to coop with heat lamp? I was told by local friend to keep her with a buddy for reintroduction, group agree?

 

[ketokinak]

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Here is the cage with remaining 4, they have parakeet toy to peck at. Too crowded?
I also am trying to post the bin to make sure it looks ok for 2 of them