spot/sore over beak?

[JusticeFamilyFarm]

I went in this morning and one of my 9 day olds has this spot on her/his head, over it's beak. I don't see scabbing or bleeding, but it wasn't there yesterday. What could it be and what should I do?

 

[stubbornhill]

Maybe one of the other chicks pecked it? I would watch for a while and see if you notice any pecking like that going on. If it is not bleeding. I would just watch and see. If the effected chick starts acting different or you see a pecking problem, then you can take action. Perhaps someone else will have some other ideas for you as well. They are super cute!

 

[JusticeFamilyFarm]

That was the only thing I could think of too- was it got pecked. But, since it didn't look bloody or scabbed I wasn't sure. Did I read somewhere that darkness makes them more likely to peck? Last night was the first night I turned off the light in the room they are in and I only left on a nightlight, so it wasn't pitch black, but it was much darker then it had been. I was thinking they need to get used to some dark at night because when they go out to the coop there won't be any light at night. Was that wrong? Should they have light all the time right now?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
actually darkness is better, they will sleep better and won't peck at each other .

 

[JusticeFamilyFarm]

Oh, ok! I don't know why I thought I had read the opposite, but that makes me feel better.

They are in a room right now where there is not much natural light, so I leave a light on, or the heat lamp when it's needed (it's pretty hot here anyway). In the beginning the heat lamp had been on all the time, so they were used to it always being light in there, but then the first time I left the heat lamp off, I left the light on in the room because I felt bad. Then finally last night I figured they could be dark at night, but when I left the room I heard them moving around a lot and peeping loudly for a while, so I put a nightlight in the room. That seemed to calm them a little. But then this morning I found this poor little one with a possible peck injury.

Maybe tonight I'll try leaving the light off completely.