newly hatched chicks attacked by other hens

[janjan1]

I have two brand new hatched chicks under their mom. Hatched this morning. She is a first time mom, lower on the pecking order, seems to be a good mother, staying on nest etc, but the other larger hens looks like they bullied her so badly she got off the nest leaving her two newly hatched chicks exposed to their attentions. They both are pecked badly about the head, no hide or fuzz on either one's head. Looks bad. I have placed both chicks in a box with mom and she is mothering & warming them the best she can. Is there anything else I can do for them?
TIA
Jan

 

[chickenzoo]

You can clean off their wounds with beadine or saline solution and apply neosporin. It's good to keep them separated from the other hens for now. Poor babies

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Oh my, that's terrible. Yes, exactly what chickenzoo said. Keep them totally separated. Poor little kids.

 

[Teresaann24]

Poor babies!! I hope they heal very well for you! That is terrible, That is why I always remove my hens when they become broody in pens with roo or other hens.

 

[Beau coop]

I 've heard both ways. leave the newly hatched chicks in if momma is higher on the pecking order and remove her and chicks if she is not. My broody is separate on her eggs now. I will probably keep it that way until spring.

Clean the wounds well. Put vitamins in water. Keep warm with mom. Watch mom in case she pecks wounds.

 

[janjan1]

I placed hen in a hay lined box with the chicks under her. One seems so lethergic, don't know if it will make it, and then placed the box in the feed room of my barn for safety. It's nice & warm, free from any other chickens interferrence, and safe. I'll check on her later on tonight. I will apply a ointment to the chicks head, but will that entice the hen to peck them herself? Anything is prob better than nothing so I'll do it anyway.
Thanks
Jan

 

[janjan1]

The little pecked chick is still alive this morning as is her sibling. But the chick that was pecked so bad has it's eyes closed due to head swelling. It looks so pitiful. Hen and chicks continue in a nice quiet dark nest box in the feed/tack room away from everyone. I have food and water available in the room close by the box. I fed the hen soft scrambled eggs this morning and dipped the chicks beaks in water to hydrate them. Should I go ahead and cull this chick or take away to raise in a brooder box alone? Or should I just let nature take it's course and let hen raise and let the chips fall where they may? I sprayed purple/blue wound coat on it's little head to coat the raw wound and to attempt to cover they wound so hen won't be tempted to peck her own chick.
Suggestions please
TIA
Jan

 

[blueskylen]

How very sad! i hope that the chicks make it.
thanks for posting this, as I didn't think of the pecking order of hens affecting the chicks. i'll make sure to keep mine separate
- if they ever go broody again. i did have my first broody this winter, but she left the nest on a very cold day, and the eggs froze.

 

[janjan1]

Chick didn't make it. Died yesterday. Didn't realize how tough it was to be a little chick
Jan