Gallina Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 My neighbours have just given me a third chick (seven weeks old) because it has been horribly pecked by the hens in their run. (They keep the mother and babies in with the other large hens.) This chick's vent is a bloody mess, and my two baby chicks are of course interested in it. I have nowhere to put this single chick, and I am very worried about it. The pecking it might get from my two babies will not be anything like as bad as what it has been suffering already, but I still can't bear to see it. I am ready to order some Ukadex from Merrydale Poultry, but they won't get the order until tomorrow and it may be several days before it arrives. I just thought I would give the forum a try just in case anyone nearby has any and would be kind enough to help a chick in distress. Purple spray would be welcome instead -- anything that keeps the other chicks away from this poor s"Ooops, word censored!" of a Brahma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scramble Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Sorry to hear about the chick Hope someone comes along soon who can help sought things out. My best of Luck. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Is there a "pets at home" near you? they stock anti peck spray and stay open late.. sorry I'm not closer as have purple spray for my horses.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Same here gallina. If you were closer I'd be over like a shot. Poor chick troy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenc Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Sorry I can't help with the sprays but I wanted to let you know that Karen and her family fromMerrydale are on holiday until Sunday so I'm not sure if there will be somebody to send out orders or not. I wouldn't want you to be expecting it to come and it doesn't for that reason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 If you have a vets nearby - phone and ask if they can spray the chick - they will have purple spray - oxytetracycline aerosol is the real name of them and they come in many differing names, cyclo areo, terramycin aero, oxytet aero etc and I am sure they will have an open one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 fingers crossed that all is going well for you... how is the poor little chicky? I;m sure tonight will be very tense for you.. You are an angel coming to it's rescue... Best of luck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Girl Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Hi Gallina Sorry I can't help with the spray but their's a pets at home in Abingdon (by Tesco superstore) and Bicester (at the Wyvale Garden Centre complex I think). Where abouts in Oxford are you, I'm in Witney, nice to know their is another Omleteer close. Suzi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 Thanks for all your replies. It is useful to know that Merrydale is on holiday. (I was delaying placing my order last night in case I had to send it to someone else as compensation). This poor little chick is all skin and bone, but she will have a better chance in the Eglu with my two chicks than next-door in a large run with ten other chicks and four full-grown hens. But my chicks are no angels -- I always get shocked when my innocent little babies turn into instant bullies, and they are pecking her bottom. Edit: I have telephone every pet shop in Oxford, and none of them have purple spray, so I have ordered some on eBay, as I don't have a car. I have decided to try purple spray first, as Ukadex costs £22.77 in total from P & T Poultry, and I only want less than a teaspoon of it! (Merrydale is £17.94 in total, but I have established that they are closed for holidays.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I think you can get violet gentian spray from a chemist. Worth trying! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I think you can get violet gentian spray from a chemist. Worth trying! Good luck! you can, it's used to spray on cuts and wounds. Hope everything turns out okay. sounds like your neigbours could do with a bit of common sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 You cannot get gentian violet from any chemist in Oxford: I have asked them all, and they have never even heard of it. I just have to hope that the eBay bottle arrives today. I am not very hopeful about the chick: she is less than half the size of her sister, and she spends all her time huddled in the Eglu. But if I can stop the other chicks pecking her wounds she might have a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Will pm you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 she's not logged on but if anyone has a way of contacting Gallina I can put her some purple spray in the post this morning if she lets me know her address, trouble is I'm going out soon which will mean another days delay. Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Could you try sectioning of part of the run with canes? Some one on here did that and it helped give the poor bird a bit of peace. They posted a picture but I can't find it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 I am home today and waiting for the post. I have only just seen Mrs Bertie's message and will give her a ring: isn't she kind? I don't think canes would be any good: the gaps would be too big. The chicks are still very small -- for instance, if I make the tormented one go out for some air, she hides under the Grub in an extremely tiny gap. This isn't even my chick, but I am getting to like her, and I think she must be a girl, which isn't certain with the other two. She is the sister of one of them, but she has been forgotten in just one week away. Aren't chickens annoying? Only a few days ago I was treating my two existing chicks as though they were babies themselves, using a special quiet voice. Now I want to shout at them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 If she's that tiny, could you keep her in a cat-basket or something - so she's inside the run and they get to know her, but safe from pecking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Have posted some purple spray, should be there tomorrow with a bit of luck so hopefully little chick will be left alone. Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 Here's a picture I took today of my poor little pecked Brahma chick, who has no feathers at all on her back or behind: As you can see, the purple spray arrived. She is now eating, and has got a lot stronger -- so much so that I can't catch her any more to give her a respray. But the other two chicks don't seem to be pecking her now. She was eight weeks old yesterday. It's sad to see her preening feathers that aren't there. Let this be a warning to people who think they can mix a mother with chicks in with older hens (if anyone new is reading this, it wasn't me who did this). She spent three days inside the Eglu or hiding under the Grub, and then suddenly everything was all right. Thanks to Mrs Bertie who sent me some purple spray when I was afraid the stuff from eBay wouldn't come. If anyone ever needs any urgently, just ask and I will pass the good luck on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 So glad to hear she's picked up - they can be so resilient. She looks JUST like our Brahma who I think is going to be a dark partridge brahma even though her egg was marked buff columbian. I must take a picture as they are about the same age. Ours is a bit tatty but that seems to be because she hasn't feathered up as quickly as her counterparts, mind you they are supposed to be a slow maturing breed. I haven't thought of any names for our chicks yet apart from Bumble the cream legbar, must get a move on! Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 How wonderful the poor little mite is rallying at last. Fingers crossed she has turned a corner now. Will you keep her?? Please don't send her back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Hi Gallina Only just seen this thread. Poor little baby! Please keep us posted on how she's doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
