Suddenly Bullied, Bleeding?! What the heck?!

[EeyoreD]

So my twelve RIR chicks have been getting along just fine. Today I went to TSC and while I was there thought it would be nice to pick up one of those chick treat log thingies.

Next thing I know there's a giant fuss in the brooder, all the chicks are away from the log and I catch one actually tugging on another's throat. The bullied one actually looks to be bleeding so I separated her but she's cheeping for her friends. I'm afraid that if I put her back they're going to continue to worry at her throat.

Do I need to wash/antibiotic/something the wound?

Any thoughts on what I should do?

TOTALLY unexpected. Yipes.

It's just the one, once I removed that one everyone calmed down. I mean while they're still attacking the treat log thingy they're not attacking each other.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

It is good that you separated the bleeding one for now, since the sight of blood encourages more pecking. Hopefully the wound is pretty superficial and you can clean it off with some water and use some neosporin ointment if you want (I like the one without the pain relief ingredient so if needed, can use it around the eye as well). The next time you are at TSC you may want to pick up some Blu Kote antiseptic which kills germs and hides the red to discourage pecking. If you can put the chick inside something clear and then put her back in the brooder or else temporarily divide the brooder with some chicken wire, that might help. Any thing where the chicks can see each other but not touch each other may put the lone chick at ease.

 

[EeyoreD]

Thank you! Now that she (and, probably more importantly I) calmed down it looks like they just yanked from feathers out roughly. Kinda actually looks like the equivalent of a skinned knee.

Thanks for the tip on the Blu Kote, they really do seem to home in on the wound. Now that I think about it it was like one little time someone yanked a clump of feathers out too hard and then it was like chumming the waters for the rest.

I have a clear bin I can put her in next to the brooder and hopefully that will help until she stops looking like vampire chicken lunch.

Thanks again.