Please help, raw swollen skin on chick's neck

[rehsanipoor]

I am positing for a second time as I haven't gotten any advice. I have 4 week old cuckoo Maran. She is active and acting normally. The other chicks are not pecking or bullying her. She has raw skin on the back of her neck, the feathers are falling out and it is beginning to look swollen. We began to notice it 3 or 4 days ago. I don't know how she got it. She scratches what seems a normal amount (not excessively).

I'd rather not separate her as long as the other chicks are not pecking at her. Below are some pics. Please tell me If I should put anything on it. I certainly want to prevent it from getting worse.

 

[Mantisquailman]

It looks like you're chick has mite's. Separate her immediately!

 

[rehsanipoor]

oh no. I've never dealt with mites before. They just moved from the brooder to a brand new coop, new bedding, and run etc. What do I do?

 

[rehsanipoor]

Should I put her back in the brooder in the house? She is going to flip out, but I certainly don't want to the others to get this.

 

[Eggcessive]

To me, it looks like some of her back feathers have not yet come in which can be normal, and the red irritated area has been pecked out by her flock mates. You can look her over for any mites or lice, but I can’t see any in pictures. Are they overcrowded? Are they all the same age? Do they have enough room? Are they on a good chick starter diet? I would try some bad tasting anti peck lotion, neosporin ointment, or Nustock cream from your feed store. Pine tar also works well.

 

[rehsanipoor]

I am reading over info about mites, It sounds like the areas under the wings and around the vent are more often effected. The only area she has this is the back of her neck.

The other girls are not bothering her as far as I can see. I haven't caught anyone pecking her. She does seem to be low in the pecking order though. Should I separate her if they don't seem to be picking on her or pecking her wound?

I'll inspect her more closely for mites.

 

[rehsanipoor]

I applied some Neosporin before putting her up tonight. I thought it might give her some relief and prevent infection.. Mostly I just feel badly not doing anything to help her!

 

[rehsanipoor]

Would it be common to find mites in a coop that was literally just built (ie. all new material and bedding) and the only chickens ever to be in there just left the brooder?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

To me, it looks like some of her back feathers have not yet come in which can be normal, and the red irritated area has been pecked out by her flock mates. You can look her over for any mites or lice, but I can’t see any in pictures. Are they overcrowded? Are they all the same age? Do they have enough room? Are they apron a good chick starter diet? I would try some bad tasting anti peck lotion, neosporin ointment, or Nustock cream from your feed store. Pine tar also works well.

Agreed.

 

[rehsanipoor]

Plenty of room (they also get a lot of supervised free range time as our run is not complete yet). They are being fed chick starter from the feed store. All the chicks are within 3 weeks of age. I will head to the feed store to look for some topicals. I haven't seen any of the other girls peck her, but will the bad tasting type deter them?