Possible peck injury on Welsummer chick?

St-Hubert

Chicken Convert
9 Years
Apr 6, 2010
488
2
119
Anniston, AL
This is an almost two-week old Welsummer female named Tender. I do not know her weight, as we have not yet weighed them, but she looks to be about 'normal' compared to her sister.
There is no change in behaviour. We watched her for awhile after seeing the injury/mark, and she appears to move about and eat as normal.
We just noticed the mark last night around 9:30....when we normally go in to say goodnight. I see them every morning and did not notice the mark yesterday AM.
No bleeding, but it does resemble an impact with swelling around the center.
If it's what I think it is, it happened when one bird pecked the other. They sometimes play keep-away with pine shavings or food bits, and I know that each will peck at the other's beak to steal it away. At least, this is what I hope happened.
They are both on pure water and Purina "Start and Grow".
The poop looks normal for a youngin'....sometimes there is a very viscous, dark brown poop, but that only happens every now and then. Most of the time the poop looks like young chicken poop.
We have not done anything so far. I am not sure what to do, so I came here.
I'd like to treat it myself as there isn't a vet in the area that handles poultry.
Photos will be attached.
They live in a Rubbermaid tote with pine shavings as bedding.

tender2.jpg

The mark is hard to see on this photo, and I apologize for not circling it before I saved the photo. It's under the left side of her beak.

tender1.jpg


tender3.jpg


tender4.jpg


And an upright photo of her for comparison.
wellies2.jpg


Please advise. I am not panicking, but I would like to know if this is something serious, and what I can do to make it better.

Thank you in advance!
 
Ouch, that does look like a bad peck from a jealous brooder mate. I wouldn't be too concerned, but I would clean it up and put a little antibiotic ointment (without any kind of pain med in it, no "caine" of any kind!) on it. Keep an eye on her, as chicks tend to pick at anything red, the other girls may continue to irritate it. If so, you can either separate her in the brooder so that she can still see the other chicks, but they can't pick at her or you could try a little bluekote, which has antibiotics in it and colors the skin blue, which will keep the other girls from picking at her wound.

Good luck with the little one, she's PRECIOUS and I'm sure she'll be just fine!
 
*phew*
Thank you! I was a bit worried that it was something deadly serious....not that being pecked isn't serious, but I have been reading horror stories in this section about all the things that can go wrong with a chicken's health.
Thanks for the advice. I will begin taking care of her this evening! I really appreciate it!

Also thank you on the precious comment; she is indeed precious to me!
big_smile.png
 

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