What happened??

[NorthChicken]

I have 8 2 week old chicks of different breeds. Chicks went outdoors today in the run. I sat outside with them in the run for about an hour, just watching them explore, eat bugs, dust bathe. They happily peeped and seemed to be quite content. I even had their ecoglow in there just in case they got chilled (it was sunny about about 73 degrees).

I left them there for about an hour, and kept somewhat of an eye on them from the deck. Didn't hear any distress peeps, they all seemed perfectly happy to be enjoying the outdoors and the sunshine.

I went out to bring them back in about half an hour later and found one of them with a nasty, bloody vent. All the others were attacking the vent area. I quickly scooped up the chick, checked the others for bloody vents (there were none) and brought her inside to clean her up and devise a plan of where to keep her while healing. In this time (about 15 minutes) I went back out to find yet ANOTHER chick with a bloody vent. I had checked all chicks before bringing in the first and they were fine, so this happened while I was dealing with the first chick.

What happened?? Why did they do this? Were they stressed at being outside for too long? Why would it happen to two different chicks in such a short amount of time?

They are all now back in the indoor brooder and seem fine.
I put some blue kote on both of them after cleaning them up, and they are now in together in a separate tote with a heat lamp. I am terrified it is going to happen again! When can they go back in the other brooder? You can't see the red wound anymore, just dark purple/blue butts!

Ugh, so discouraged that this is going to be an issue.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think I would sit and watch them. It could be just one chick that is the problem. If it had been just one attack, I would have suspected a chick got a prolapsed vent (red and sticking out, attracting pecking,) but not two instances. I normally would suggest a red brooder lap since that causes less pecking, but see you are using the Ecoglow which should be good. Maybe it was the bright light out doors. The BluKote should help.

 

[seminolewind]

If the stool has blood, or any of them look sick, listless and puffed up, they may need to be treated for coccidiosis.

 

[NorthChicken]

Everyone looked fine, no lethargic/weak ones, they were on medicated food, stools all looked great. I wouldn't have been so worried if it was just one that had it happen, but two in a period of 30 minutes makes me nervous.

The two attacked ones have the bluekote on their vents/backsides and are back in with the others in the brooder. The light brahma is definitely checking out their vents, but not pecking. I am wondering if it was her, as she is the only one who keeps going around checking out every other chicks vent.

 

[Michael Apple]

I think I would sit and watch them. It could be just one chick that is the problem. If it had been just one attack, I would have suspected a chick got a prolapsed vent (red and sticking out, attracting pecking,) but not two instances. I normally would suggest a red brooder lap since that causes less pecking, but see you are using the Ecoglow which should be good. Maybe it was the bright light out doors. The BluKote should help.

Hey Egg. Years ago I had a hen who was pecked and received tissue damage. I used a product called Blu-Kote that came in a plastic bottle with a dauber. I found that it not only dried out the wound, it irritated the wound and attracted other birds to the dark blue dyed spot. The dyed spot remained there for months. I never used it again and found certain anti-peck lotions worked much better. Here's one: http://roosterboosterproducts.com/products.php

And another: http://cutlersupply.com/zen_new51/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_79&products_id=449

 

[Country4ever]

Its amazing how they go for blood, and any other sign of weakness. Well, probably quite natural.......only the strong survive.
I used to use Vick's vapo rub and it seemed to help, but needed to be reapplied alot.
I have an easter egger whose total behind is bald, because of years of other chickens pulling out the feathers. Don't know why.
She's 1 of the 4 of my original 17 that are left, after 10 years........still with a totally bare butt. It must be cold in winter!

 

[NorthChicken]

Found the culprit. I brought them back outdoors today and it literally only took about 3 seconds for the light brahma to start pecking fiercely at the rest of the flocks vents (the other two wounded ones, who are doing fine by the way, were left inside). I mean, she didn't even take time to look around the run, scratch for bugs, dust bathe, it was like she was obsessing over the other chicks vents.

I removed her and have her by herself right now...but have no idea what to do. I don't trust her, do I cull a 2 week old chick? I don't want her teaching this behavior to the rest of the flock, and I sure don't want her causing more injuries.

 

[Michael Apple]

Found the culprit. I brought them back outdoors today and it literally only took about 3 seconds for the light brahma to start pecking fiercely at the rest of the flocks vents (the other two wounded ones, who are doing fine by the way, were left inside). I mean, she didn't even take time to look around the run, scratch for bugs, dust bathe, it was like she was obsessing over the other chicks vents.

I removed her and have her by herself right now...but have no idea what to do. I don't trust her, do I cull a 2 week old chick? I don't want her teaching this behavior to the rest of the flock, and I sure don't want her causing more injuries.

What is the environment you keep your 2 week old chicks in?

 

[Eggcessive]

Hey Egg. Years ago I had a hen who was pecked and received tissue damage. I used a product called Blu-Kote that came in a plastic bottle with a dauber. I found that it not only dried out the wound, it irritated the wound and attracted other birds to the dark blue dyed spot. The dyed spot remained there for months. I never used it again and found certain anti-peck lotions worked much better. Here's one: http://roosterboosterproducts.com/products.php

And another: http://cutlersupply.com/zen_new51/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_79&products_id=449

I have found BluKote to work very well. Actually the gentian violet in the BluKote can be purchased in a bottle at any pharmacy or WalMart, and works well to color wounds blue, stopping pecking. I have had a scalped Polish pullet twice been placed back into my flock, and feather's regrown with it's use. The alcohol in BluKote may dry out skin causing irritation however.

 

[NorthChicken]

What is the environment you keep your 2 week old chicks in?

They are in a large dog kennel brooder (4 footx 2.5 feet) during the day in the basement. There was not a single issue up until the point I brought them outside into the run (the run is 6x10). This was not the first time they were outdoors, I had brought them out for an hour the past 2 days as well, but was there to supervise. This time I left them alone after watching them for an hour, that is when I came back to find what had happened.

I did cull the chick. I tried once again to introduce her back into the group, and it was the same thing--started obsessively checking everyone's vents for a while, then the pecking started. Everyone else was fine, even with the chicks with the blue vents, no pecking issues with the brahma chick gone.