Holes in chicks **updated**

[Anonymous]

I have 60 white rock chicks, 4 weeks old and i recently noticed a hole in one chick..I then found a second chick with the exact same hole in the exact same spot, they are inside a very safe coop with no sharp objects..has anyone ever seen this...is it some kind of freak genetic thing...the hole is so big i can see the chicks insides.

PS. Thank You very much Tim for the link to the image resizing tool...Works great and simple to use
http://imageresizer.codeplex.com/

My wife and I decided to cull the 2 injured chicks as we could see vital organs and did not think these wounds would heal....Thanks Everyone for your comments

 

[podstable]

Sorry no idea really. Must be one amongst them pecking them I would think ???? Could be a discharged abscess but then unlikely to be 2 at once , or a rat ?? Hope someone comes along with an answer for you! Ros

 

[snifter]

I'd guess it was the other birds pecking. They seem bare of feathers around the hole.

I'd isolate those 2 together (or cull possibly as not sure that kind of thing will heal well) and observe the chicks to see if you can spot the culprits. Invest in some anti peck spray (about £10 a can but does work) and spray it on your birds.

 

[Davidd]

Hello, yes, they are pecking- if you use infa red bulbs it will stop- and i haven't found an anti -peck spray that works yet! :shock:
regards, David

 

[Tim]

Never come across this before either sorry Jerry...

Snifter has a good point about the missing feathers around there though..

I will post a sticky about the photo resizer soon, it seems to be the easiest tool if you don't have photo editing software or want to resize a pic quickly.

Good luck, keep us posted...