Bloody throat and getting pecked

[mandmemmons]

One of my young white roosters (Basil, my favorite) developed a bloody place on his throat. I have no idea how it originally happened. He might even have been spurred by the dominant roo. Now he stands still for the hens to peck at his throat, which is getting worse and bleeding freely.

I have isolated him. We are considering a gauze pad and tape, which I guess sounds a bit absurd. We are also considering fencing off a corner of the pen and putting him in it with a dog crate for a makeshift coop until he heals, but I worry that even if it scabs over nicely, the hens will peck that scab off and start the process all over again. Hence the gauze pad.

He is very unhappy to be separated, but I fear that in very short order he will be pecked to death.

By the way, I'm Molly from northern California, and I've been lurking for a long time. I've learned a lot from these boards. We currently have a spoiled rotten flock of 14, with three extra roosters I'm trying to find homes for. One of our hens hatched a clutch of thirteen last summer, and Basil is one of those. This is the first time I've been absolutely desperate.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Definitely keep him isolated unless you want a dead Basil...
If the other birds can see him, there may not be as big a pecking order issue when he's finally back to health.
He's probably on the bottom of the rooster pecking order too, which means everyone above him will pick on him.
Welcome also.

 

[bigzio]

Molly, welcome to BYC. SpottedCrow is right and you are doing the right thing.

Pecking order is a real issue in the world of chickens, as you know. Sometimes roos can get along, however in most cases they don't real well.

One item I keep around is a product called Blu-Kote, it's a antiseptic- protective wound dressing-Germicidal-Fungicidal. When sprayed on the wound it's drk blue color hides the red blood and prevents pecking.

bigzio