Picking on another chick - bloody

[DoverChick]

My four week old chicks are picking on one of the group of 9. They must have been pecking at her/his butt region and pulled out some of her/his tail feathers. Her heiny is a little raw and she/he has a bare spot.... my poor little girl!

I separated her from the others in her own little box with food and water.

How long do you think I should keep her separated?

I hope she will be okay!

Thanks

 

[aprhardy]

I had a similar problem earlier this week with my week old chicks, though mine only broke her tail feathers and then the others kept picking at her. Here are some things I done: Separated, cleaned wounds, put some neosporin on her, let her rest, cleaned it again the next day, put on more neosporin, and then as long as all bleeding had stopped, and she seemed to be healing up, I put a bit of baking soda on her butt to coat the sore spots and 2 days later she was back in the brooder with the others, and has been doing just fine.
My theory is, if the others can't "notice" a wound, then they won't pick at it. Seems to work. If she has large wounds, give her time to heal up before putting her back with the others.
Hope this helps!

 

[ralleia]

I'd try to avoid separating her--if you separate and she ends up excluded then she'll have a bigger problem when you try to put her back.

What color light are they under (red is supposed to discourage pecking).

Get some anti-pecking salve and put it on her bare patch. The salve should hide the patch and be foul-tasting to discourage any pecker from trying it again!

 

[DoverChick]

They are under a regular light (not red) - I am really close to turning the light off though (they're 4 weeks old), do you think that would make a difference (turning out the light, I mean.)?

Her butt is healing (it's scabbed over right now.) I put some antibiotic cream on it last night.

I tried putting her back in with everyone last night and just watched them right away. Immediately they started pecking at the same sight again. So I took her back out and put her in her little box.

Now I am worried they will just pick on her because she has been separated for too long. But I don't want to put her back in because I'm afraid they will peck her to death.

I guess I'll keep doing what I'm doing and hope they accept her when she's totally healed.

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

they are lacking protein. I grind up raw beef liver add some cooked rice and cooked oatmeal. Then I repackage it in loaves and feed them. I have no picking. I also pick green grass and put in pen. The pick site I would keep chick separated. I have covered sites before wrapped chick with coban if at all possible to put back in pen. They will pick it if it isn't covered.