Scabs on babies.

[Kasscbaby]

I know I have to put Vaseline on their legs. But does this apply to their combs and wattles too? If not Im gonna just assume my birds are bored. They’ve got some boo boos goin on.
Photo one is at the top of crackers comb. It’s bloody and scabby.
photo two is a scab directly under the eye
Photo three is directly under eye as well.
All three different chicks.

 

[azygous]

I don't know why you would assume you need to grease up your chicks. Vaseline does have its uses in a chicken first aid kit, but it's not a routine thing in flock management.

The small injuries you are noticing can result from chicks outgrowing their brooder and needing desperately to move into a coop and have access to a run with lots of room to run and play.

Unless you inhabit the Antarctic or Patagonia, your chicks are old enough to live outside as big chickens.

 

[azygous]

Please accept my apology for assuming they were still in the brooder. You would be surprised how many folks keeps chicks in brooders even past eight weeks, sometimes longer.

Pecking injuries do occur from boredom, but sometimes it's a single individual with a pecking compulsion. Some peck feet. Some are fixated on vents. The challenge is to identify the individual likely for the damage and try to divert attention away from the destructive behavior.

Chicks are easily disciplined out of bad behavior if you can catch them in the act. Peck at the perpetrator with your finger each time you see the behavior. Usually, this can correct it in one or two days.

Diversions are effective, as well. I've come up with toys that resemble the chick parts that chicks seems to be fixated on. A tennis ball. A foam insulation noodle stapled to a block of wood. A chick swing. Draw colored dots on a cardboard and tack it to the side of the run. A chick jungle gym with wood scraps. With imagination, you can invent chick toys that no one has thought of.

 

[Kasscbaby]

Please accept my apology for assuming they were still in the brooder. You would be surprised how many folks keeps chicks in brooders even past eight weeks, sometimes longer.

Pecking injuries do occur from boredom, but sometimes it's a single individual with a pecking compulsion. Some peck feet. Some are fixated on vents. The challenge is to identify the individual likely for the damage and try to divert attention away from the destructive behavior.

Chicks are easily disciplined out of bad behavior if you can catch them in the act. Peck at the perpetrator with your finger each time you see the behavior. Usually, this can correct it in one or two days.

Diversions are effective, as well. I've come up with toys that resemble the chick parts that chicks seems to be fixated on. A tennis ball. A foam insulation noodle stapled to a block of wood. A chick swing. Draw colored dots on a cardboard and tack it to the side of the run. A chick jungle gym with wood scraps. With imagination, you can invent chick toys that no one has thought of.

I completely understand. I have seen big babes still in brooders and it breaks my heart but I assume they have reasons. I built them a nice swing. Also put some treats in an old peanut butter jar and drilled holes. Im pretty sure it’s my biggest chicken doing it. She’s always been top of the pecking order from what I can tell. And idk if they can get jealous but I notice when I love on the 3 that have been injured, she flies onto my head and then down onto them. So Im wondering if she’s angry at them. I don’t even know if that can happen. Im going to try the chick resemblance toys too to keep her busy. Also making them a tire swing today out of my old tractor tires. I appreciate the help. Thank you so much.
Also am going to put a camera in the coop to see if I can catch what’s happening.
When I am in there and see someone pecking at someone else I peck them back and tell them no. So I will try to stay consistent with that. Thank you again

 

[Kasscbaby]

I don't know why you would assume you need to grease up your chicks. Vaseline does have its uses in a chicken first aid kit, but it's not a routine thing in flock management.

The small injuries you are noticing can result from chicks outgrowing their brooder and needing desperately to move into a coop and have access to a run with lots of room to run and play.

Unless you inhabit the Antarctic or Patagonia, your chicks are old enough to live outside as big chickens.

Okay. Im revisiting this because I did not want to come off as rude. My chickens are in a big coop and run. Their coop and run combined is 17 foot long. 7 foot tall and 8 foot wide. There’s only five babies in there as of now. So they have plenty of room. You assumed they were in a brooder for some reason. I only Vaseline their feet when I notice cracking because I live in south Texas where it’s hot and I notice they’re feet crack and I like to try and prevent brumblefoot and wasn’t sure if their wattles and combs were the same. I would rather be proactive than deal with an infection. I assume they’re bored so I built them a few new toys on top of the 4 roosts they have. One is made of 2x4 and the other three are made of branches. I appreciate the concern but they aren’t in a brooder anymore. They’re almost 7 weeks and far to big for anything like that. That’s why I spent two weeks building their coop so they would be happy and comfy.