Hi everyone...I"m new to the forum but have been reading like crazy for the past week or two and have learned lots from you folks...thank you
I've raised chicks and chickens years ago but it's been about 15 years I think.
I have 29 week-old hatchery chicks that have been doing well. Big brooder, plenty to do in there. Today I came home and found one BO chick with a completely bloodied, chewed up tail/no feathers left and previously it had been getting tail feathers. My chicks are starting to get real feathers with the big shafts and some of the lighter colored BO and Lt Brahmas can look a bit pink from the blood in the feather shafts (which is a bit worriesome) but I haven't noticed any pecking or blood on anyone before this. (and I watch my chicks way too long several times a day everyday ~ just ask my DH!)
Anyway, I removed the chick and cleaned it up with a little soap and warm water, sprayed on some blue-cote, put it back and stood there to monitor. The other chicks ran to it and started to peck at the blue butt. They didn't really dig the blue-cote so they started to leave it alone. BUT the chick that has the issue was picking at itSELF and screaming (it's gotta hurt!) and running around, which, naturally, made the other chicks go crazy. I removed it again and put it in isolation and also applied some of the black antiseptic/drawing pine-tar salve. It picked at itself a little but quit in the isolation cage. It doesn't want to eat or drink in the isolation cage. It can see the other birds but just sits there under the light doing nothing and looking pathetic when it isn't trying to peck at itself. The pine tar salve seems to not really deter it much and that stuff is nasty!
So, a couple hours later I put it back in the big brooder again and at first it ate a little and seemed relatively normal. The other chicks were interested in its nasty looking butt but when they got a whiff/taste of the pine-tar salve they totally wanted nothing to do with that. However, the injured chick again started picking at itself and running around screaming, riling everyone up. It's currently in isolation doing nothing and I am beginning to feed the other chicks some yogurt and will give them some additional protein in the morning (cooked eggs, etc) because I'm a little freaked out and nervous about this new development. I really think this chick did this to itself at first and the others got in on the game. In the isolation cage it will peck at other parts of it's own body and its own toes as well. Prior to this, I hadn't noticed any weird behavior at all.
I changed their feed, gradually, from Kent (which is a little higher protein) to Purina Start and Grow. But that was days ago. Everyone is vigorous and healthy and busy, eating and drinking well, getting loads of new feathers, roosting, scratching, bickering a little with chest bumping, etc. but nothing really awful or bloody until this.
Anyone have any experience with something like this or ideas about what I can do? Is this just a seriously not-right-in-the-head chick?
I would appreciate your advice!
I have 29 week-old hatchery chicks that have been doing well. Big brooder, plenty to do in there. Today I came home and found one BO chick with a completely bloodied, chewed up tail/no feathers left and previously it had been getting tail feathers. My chicks are starting to get real feathers with the big shafts and some of the lighter colored BO and Lt Brahmas can look a bit pink from the blood in the feather shafts (which is a bit worriesome) but I haven't noticed any pecking or blood on anyone before this. (and I watch my chicks way too long several times a day everyday ~ just ask my DH!)
Anyway, I removed the chick and cleaned it up with a little soap and warm water, sprayed on some blue-cote, put it back and stood there to monitor. The other chicks ran to it and started to peck at the blue butt. They didn't really dig the blue-cote so they started to leave it alone. BUT the chick that has the issue was picking at itSELF and screaming (it's gotta hurt!) and running around, which, naturally, made the other chicks go crazy. I removed it again and put it in isolation and also applied some of the black antiseptic/drawing pine-tar salve. It picked at itself a little but quit in the isolation cage. It doesn't want to eat or drink in the isolation cage. It can see the other birds but just sits there under the light doing nothing and looking pathetic when it isn't trying to peck at itself. The pine tar salve seems to not really deter it much and that stuff is nasty!
So, a couple hours later I put it back in the big brooder again and at first it ate a little and seemed relatively normal. The other chicks were interested in its nasty looking butt but when they got a whiff/taste of the pine-tar salve they totally wanted nothing to do with that. However, the injured chick again started picking at itself and running around screaming, riling everyone up. It's currently in isolation doing nothing and I am beginning to feed the other chicks some yogurt and will give them some additional protein in the morning (cooked eggs, etc) because I'm a little freaked out and nervous about this new development. I really think this chick did this to itself at first and the others got in on the game. In the isolation cage it will peck at other parts of it's own body and its own toes as well. Prior to this, I hadn't noticed any weird behavior at all.
I changed their feed, gradually, from Kent (which is a little higher protein) to Purina Start and Grow. But that was days ago. Everyone is vigorous and healthy and busy, eating and drinking well, getting loads of new feathers, roosting, scratching, bickering a little with chest bumping, etc. but nothing really awful or bloody until this.
Anyone have any experience with something like this or ideas about what I can do? Is this just a seriously not-right-in-the-head chick?
