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Hi All, one of my Buff Orpington chicks (approx two weeks old) has no down on her backside. Her vent is clear and she seems to be pooping normally. This morning, I noticed her rubbing the area, and there is a large dark red growth just below the vent. I would call it a blister, but it isn't round. It is just an irregular shape growth. I'm starting to think that she had another one because she has a scab in the same area. One of the other two tried to peck at the growth, and she keeps rubbing it. She is behaving normally otherwise. I tried to get a photo, but can't hold her and take a photo at the same time. Any ideas?
Strangest thing, the blister / swelling disappeared...what is going on!? I've been the owner of chicks / chickens for a whole 36-hours so I have less than no experience here.
I`m not sure, but I would keep an eye on the others,they may be picking her,that happens sometimes(called feather picking) if they are to hot or bored or just because they want to.It can be serious if she bleeds they can pick her to death,if you see them picking her spray some blu-kote on her or remove her.Hope this helps
Thanks, Green. Other than the baldness, everything seems to be okay now. I'm still watching her, though. I can't imagine what that blister thing was, or why she has a scab there either.
Thanks Catmad, it definitely wasn't a tick...just some sort of irritation / swelling. She seems okay and the other two aren't picking on her so what ever its was seems to have resolved itself.
In the meantime, these chicks are Rascals! They are running around insanely all over their cage, making lots of noise, picking fights with each other, flapping litter all over the floor, and occasionally popping outside of the dog crate that they are in! I can't take my eyes off of them for one minute or they are getting into trouble over something. I'm trying to keep them entertained by giving them a stick to perch on - it was fun watching them learn to sit on it because they kept falling off. Then I gave them some scrapes of lettuce which distracted them for a few seconds before they started fighting over the scraps. They are great fun, but I won't be sorry to see them move outside in a month!
Hi All, my chicks seem to be happy and healthy. They are starting to bond with me too...two of them will sit very contentedly in my hand now. I love watching them play Keep Away with green peas. Attached is a photo from yesterday...I think they are going through a growth spurt!
I have a quick question for everyone: does anyone have glassboard floors in their coop? It would be an extra $80 in the coop. I feel like I could just cut a stall mat ($37), or use vinyl stick on tiles from Home Depot (Free since I have some old ones leftover from a long ago project) and have a perfectly good floor. Anyone have a preferred flooring for their coop?
