Update: Pecking Emergency

[jamieneenah]

Update in post #16

Hello;

I have a mix of cornish and a few other assorted birds together in a broader. All have been together since they were a few days old, some were added within about 10 days. Oldest are just over 1 month. Only have ever found 1 bird that had a bloody spot on it's head they were pecking at, Move it for a couple days, let it heal, put it back and all was fine.

I was doing deep litter, but it got too wet, and was unable to be saved, so I removed all the litter this afternoon, and put in a thin layer of new clean pine shavings, same thing they are used to. Same food, same water. They were all fine at 8:15 when I left to get more pine shavings. I get back about 2 hours later, about 10:30, and find atleast 15 birds have been pecked bloody around there butts.

I don't think any of them look seriously injured, but what do I do? Do I quarentine 15 or more birds each separately?

I've turned off the lights in the brooder to hopefully slow down the picking. I am not sure what to do, as I don't have anywhere else setup to put the birds, other than a couple fairly small rubbermaid bins I could use, but not enough room for 15 birds. It looks like all the birds that got pecked open and are bleeding are cornish x, many are larger birds(4#), but some are the smaller (2#) size birds.

Please help, I'm freaking out. I will have help from my spouse in about 45 minutes, she left work and is driving home right now.

Thanks
Jamie

 

[JennsPeeps]

Treat the wounds with regular first aid: irrigate and clean them as needed.

If you can get some Blu-kote, apply that to the bloodied area. That helps prevent further pecking.

Can you spot the offender? Sit back & observe. It may be just 1-2 birds that are doing the damage. If so, isolate them.

 

[Teach97]

I put styrafoam in with them and it seems to help...I know...that is horrible it will kill them and all that...haven't lost any to the cure but several to the pecking.

 

[jamieneenah]

Quote:
I will go look for the offender(s) right now and see if I can spot them now that the lights are down and the birds are hopefully slowed down.

Do you think the birds that are injured will need to be isolated?

Is the Blu-Kote hard to find? Would my small animal / equine vet have it on hand? if so I could get it first thing in the am. I also can get items from the feed mill or farm supply, if you can let me know where to look that would be very helpful.

Thanks

Jamie

 

[NotTheMomma]

Once they see blood, they won't stop pecking.

Watch them and see if you can find WHO is doing the pecking! You might just have one or two that are the culprits.

You can put pieces of cardboard in between in the brooder is you need to separate. Just make sure they can get away from the heat if need be.

Can you move the older ones outside? At a month, they are old enough to be in an outside area. Sounds like you don't have enough room in the brooder for the amount of birds you have. Movign them into a bigger brooder will help!!

On the ones that have been pecked, clean the area with warm water, or warm saline. Put BluKote or similar on them. You want something that is going to hide the bloody areas. BluKote is BLUE! You can also ask the pharmacy for genetial violet. It's the active ingredient in BluKote, and cheaper. Paint the areas well with it, and it will heal them.

Make sure you're using a red light. This appears to calm them. I've used a white light with mine without a problem, but many have had pecking issues with using a white light.

You can offer cabbage leaves, broccoli, etc. Something for them to peck, and keep them occupied so they aren't attacking eaach other.

You can put them outside in a building, or coop as long as they have access to a heat lamp. You don't have to wait until fully feathered.

Mine were out at 2 weeks, with access to the heat lamp, the coop, and a run. They only used the heat lamp area when it was raining, and at night. Otherwise they were busy scratching and pecking.

I've lost my train of thought..... ugh! Will post more when I think of it!

 

[jamieneenah]

Quote:
What do you mean? You just put like styrofoam peanuts in with them?

Jamie

 

[NotTheMomma]

BluKote readily available at a feed store/farm store, like Tractor Supply. It's usually in with the horse and/or cattle medicines, and it's a spray.

 

[NotTheMomma]

Remembered what I was gonna post.

If you have a rent to own, or appliance store near you, see if you can get a LARGE cardboard box from them. Like something a refridge or dish washer was in. That will give them lots of room. Then offer the other stuff I mentioned to give them something to peck. You can make a kinda basket with chicken wire, and hang it in the brooder with the cabbage leaves/broccoli etc., and they can then peck it through the wire. Similar to a hay net used for horses when traveling and at shows.

 

[jamieneenah]

Quote:
Thanks for responding. I don't have a heat lamp on, as they don't seem to care for it at all. It stays in the low 70's and they are not huddling anymore.

I do have a overhead light that is a daylight equivlent type of bulb, bright white, that has been in there for the past couple days, could that bright light be part of the problem? No problem earlier today, and I was in there for hours cleaning out shavings.

They have about 1 sqft each in the brooder, which I know is small for a 4 pound bird, but keep in mind, the majority of the flock are something like commets, or assorted reds that are only about 8-12 ounces. Only about 50 cornish x in there total at sizes between #2 and 4#, aprox.

The plan was for them to go outside around now (4 weeks), we are not in a area that will allow us to have that many birds outside. We had a person that we partnered up with on this project that has land and chicken experience, they were suppose to rasie them outside after 4 weeks, but that fell apart. So I am stuck.

Thanks

Jamie

 

[jamieneenah]

genetial violet

I think I have this. Do I apply it at full stregenth?

Jamie