Chicks are bullies...........

[Snadger]

The last born of my 6 newborn chicks has a dodgy toe. Its a bit black and as soon as I add her to the rest of the brood they attack her foot and won't leave her alone.
The problem is that the longer I keep them apart I fear the harder it will be to integrate her?
Any ideas?

[Pumpkin Becki]

It's survival of the fittest Snadge. Could you try to paint its toe a more normal colour? Maybe with some 'nude' nail varnish?

[OverWyreGrower]

Can you stick a bit of the purple wound spray on everyone's feet, to disguise them?

[Scarlet]

I would try taping up with micropore. I use it if any of mine have a dodgy toes and usually they leave it alone.

[di]

That's a good idea OWG.
Our last lot of chicks were really fiesty and I worried loads when first putting them in together...the two firstborns were honestly awful to the two younger ones(I'd had to help them through the entirity of their hatching as the incubator broke and I couldn't get the humidity right so their shells went really hard...they were noticably weaker than normal for the first few weeks)...they'd wait for them to fall asleep and then 'accidentally' stand on them and proceed with the pecking.No harm came and now one of the two younger ones seems to be top hen amongst ten and one of the bullies is the one that has to wait til the others have finished eating to get her share.

[Feather]

What exactly do you mean by 'a dodgy toe'? Is this an injury, or a malformation? If an injury, treat with wound spray and return her to the others. She'll not thrive on her own and you're right to be concerned about delaying her return to an established group of rapidly-growing chicks. Eventually she'll either find her own level, or else give up and die, there's nothing you can do to help chicks sort out their social affairs.
If she has a malformation, then hard as it may be, the best thing would be to cull her. Nature is telling you something in that case. You've still got 5 healthy ones.

[Snadger]

What exactly do you mean by 'a dodgy toe'? Is this an injury, or a malformation? If an injury, treat with wound spray and return her to the others. She'll not thrive on her own and you're right to be concerned about delaying her return to an established group of rapidly-growing chicks. Eventually she'll either find her own level, or else give up and die, there's nothing you can do to help chicks sort out their social affairs.
If she has a malformation, then hard as it may be, the best thing would be to cull her. Nature is telling you something in that case. You've still got 5 healthy ones.

Its an injury not a malformation. The shell was very dry when she hatched (last to hatch) and OH had to help her out. I wouldn't tell OH but I think one tiny toe must have been stuck to the shell and she's probably pulled the skin off it when seperating her from the shell.
It appears to be on the mend and I have ordered some purple 'Septi-Clense' off eBay which will take a few days to be delivered.
In the mean time she's in a see-through container within the main container with her own personal heat lamp, so the others can see her and she can see them
If 'she' turns out to be a cockerel I will not be amused!

[Scarlet]

If 'she' turns out to be a cockerel I will not be amused!

"He" will taste lovely!

[Snadger]

Alls well that ends well! Got purple stuff from eBay, coated one leg of each chick, including poorly on........replaced chick with others.............hey presto.........no problems!

[Feather]

Alls well that ends well! Got purple stuff from eBay, coated one leg of each chick, including poorly on........replaced chick with others.............hey presto.........no problems!

Thast's just brilliant, i'm so pleased for you, and 'her' (?)