three week old chick with bleeding - scratched?

[LittleMoss]

Hi, our first brood of chicks are three weeks old today. There are four of them and we incubated the eggs, so there's no mother hen. One of them has got some bleeding this morning, just about its foot - not too much, but we think it's probably been scratched by one of the others. For now, we've put it in a cardboard box, half under the brooder and half not, so that the others won't peck at the sore patch.
What else should we do?
The others are definitely starting to square up to each other a bit - we weren't expecting that kind of behaviour until they were older!
I'd be grateful for any advice.

 

[chickens really]

Your brooder is too small and possibly too warm.....Get them into something bigger.....They are actually old enough to go out to the coop if you can provide them with heat over night...They will huddle and keep warm.....

Cheers!......

 

[Ducks4us]

I dont see where you mention size of brooder?.......
all chicks start sizing each other up and jumping at each other. They often start by 2 weeks or so. Sometimes earlier. Its part of play, and the pecking order. They do it no matter how much space they have.
Is there anything sharp in their brooder?
I would just watch and make sure it dries up and its not picking at its own foot either.
When that happened to my 4-5 month old pullet i put bag balm on her foot and it healed real fast. But your tiny chick if you put anything on put just a tiny bit, enough to smear over and not leave excess the chick could eat.

 

[chickens really]

I dont see where you mention size of brooder?.......
all chicks start sizing each other up and jumping at each other. They often start by 2 weeks or so. Sometimes earlier. Its part of play, and the pecking order. They do it no matter how much space they have.
Is there anything sharp in their brooder?
I would just watch and make sure it dries up and its not picking at its own foot either.
When that happened to my 4-5 month old pullet i put bag balm on her foot and it healed real fast. But your tiny chick if you put anything on put just a tiny bit, enough to smear over and not leave excess the chick could eat.

Just a general reason for aggression in Chicks......


Cheers!

 

[azygous]

You need to assemble a chicken first aid kit. Begin with a purchase of Blu-kote and Vetericyn. Spray the Vetericyn on the wound first, let dry, then paint the Blu-kote (or Blue Lotion) on the wound. The first promotes new tissue growth while the second protects against infection and disguises the wound so the chicken may be returned to the flock.

If you aren't ready to move the chicks into their coop, try taking your chicks outdoors for brief spells during the nicest part of the day for little romps in the run. You do have a coop and run built for them, don't you?

At three weeks, chicks should only need a little bit of heat during the night, then no heat at all in another week.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Depending on how bad the scrape/scratch is (any photos?), apply some Blu-Kote to cover it and let her out with the others. (IF she is lethargic, limping or seriously injured, keep her separated).

Giving plenty of room is a very good idea. We don't know your brooder space, so we're just guessing

Chicks will start to "square off" way earlier than you think - this is establishing the pecking order. The running, jumping, chest bumping is all just a part of it. Those babies grow fast!

 

[LittleMoss]

We're wondering if it was the bottom of the wire (their brooder is in a run). We've covered that part up now - I'd pressed those wires down before and thought they were okay, really wish I'd done more now! The water feeder was just in front of the loose wire, and I wonder if the chick squeezed in between.
We're in the UK, I'm not sure if we can get the products you've mentioned. A friend has told me to clean it and put some Sudocrem on when it's dry (that's an antiseptic antibacterial cream used for babies over here). There does seem to have been a little more bleeding, but not much - just a little wet on the wound, nothing on the ground.
Sorry, I haven't got any photos at the moment.

 

[LittleMoss]

Forgot to say - the chick is mostly sitting down at the moment, and limping a bit when it moves, so I'm keeping it separate for now.
We do have a run and coop ready outside, hopefully we'll get some good weather soon too!
Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[chickens really]

Forgot to say - the chick is mostly sitting down at the moment, and limping a bit when it moves, so I'm keeping it separate for now. 
We do have a run and coop ready outside, hopefully we'll get some good weather soon too!
Thanks for everyone's help.

I would really start putting them out in the coop during the day...Even if you had to bring them back inside at night....They will be fine during the day....

Cheers!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We're wondering if it was the bottom of the wire (their brooder is in a run). We've covered that part up now - I'd pressed those wires down before and thought they were okay, really wish I'd done more now! The water feeder was just in front of the loose wire, and I wonder if the chick squeezed in between.
We're in the UK, I'm not sure if we can get the products you've mentioned. A friend has told me to clean it and put some Sudocrem on when it's dry (that's an antiseptic antibacterial cream used for babies over here). There does seem to have been a little more bleeding, but not much - just a little wet on the wound, nothing on the ground.
Sorry, I haven't got any photos at the moment.

Quote:
I had to look up the Sudocrem

It looks like that will work fine. Since she is limping then keeping her separated is a good idea. Watch to see that she is drinking and eating. If you have them give her some poultry vitamins or you can give infants vitamins (no iron) something like Poly Vi Sol.

FWIW Blue Kote is an antiseptic that has a "bluing" that colors redness/cuts blue, this hides wounds, to help deter other chickens from pecking at it. When your little one is ready to join the others and her scratch is still visible, I would think you could add a couple of drops of food coloring to the Sudocrem to make it blue to help hide the cut - just a thought

Some people do make their own blue-coating here's a "recipe" http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/10/diy-anti-pick-antibacterial-blu-kote.html


Keep us posted.