VERY CONCERNED

[StephenH98]

So I went to clean my brooder out for my 2 chickens and when I went to pick it up his belly side feathers are missing! And I see his pink stomach is this normal or is this bad and how should I fix it..

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

It looks like the chicks fluff has got wet. If they get wet the fluff does stick together like that and gives the appearance of them going bald.

Did they spill some water in the brooder? Or do they have open water in the brooder? This could be the cause of the wetness on the chick. What bedding do you have them on.

Another thought could be that the navel area could have been leaking fluid but your chick looks to have a nice scab there on its navel. Do you know how long it's had that scab?

 

[lazy gardener]

If the belly is swollen, your chick has omphalitis. be sure you wash your hands well, as it is an internal infection. What you see is the infection leaking out. Does not bode well for the chick.

 

[StephenH98]

What loooks like a scab turned out being a piece of there crap stuck on its feathers I had washed his stomach off gently with a warm paper towel as what the lady from tractor supply said I needed to do constantly so there feathers doesn't knot together it eats, drinks and poops alright the bottom of the brooder is cardboard/ with duck tape covering it due to ease of cleaning this is might be why he lost his fur but I am going and purchasing wood chips I was waiting for them to get more in they were out and was told to do this until they had them in

 

[lazy gardener]

You should not need to be washing those feathers "constantly". Are you saying that you covered the whole floor of your brooder with duct tape? If so, that needs to be covered with something, anything. Even newspaper, paper towel, old towels. slippery surfaces are not healthy for chicks, as they can lead to joint deformities. How big is your brooder, and how many chicks in there?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I too agree with @lazy gardener that you should not need to be washing them and to get them off the cardboard/duct tape as soon as you can. If they are on full duct tape the droppings they produce will not be soaked up anywhere and they will have no option but to sleep in them resulting in the chick getting a dirty underside.

Once you have them on wood chips/shavings the chick should not have to be washed and it should fluff back up.

 

[3riverschick]

I agree with Yorkshire and Lazy Gardener . you need to get these chicks on wood chips . buy the white bale of kiln-dried pine shavings at Tractor Supply .
Best
Karen

 

[StephenH98]

I picked up wood chips from tractor supply and there a lot happier there cleaner too and his fur is going normal again