Rooster attacked by hens, and possible frostbite

[Kris5902]

I did a little chicken rearranging and everything was seeming fine. yesterday morning was day three of giving all my Roosters hens and pullets. I had maintained a cockerel pen with just three boys since late spring. I gave both my roosters separate pens and a group of 4 hens and 4 pullets that are 17 weeks old. The hens had previously all been with another rooster whose mature lady selection was divided.

Sometime after morning check and feeding and before 2pm one of the Roosters was viciously attacked by his hens. He is molting as well. I noticed his comb looked funny, and was wondering if he had frostbite, maybe his comb was against the metal roofing? As I was examining that I notice blood on the beaks of two of the 1yo hens. Then I realized he was missing his tail and there was blood all over his back end. He didn’t even make a ruckus when it happened, as I was around all day and would have noticed if he had as I’ve been watching for integration issues, bullying, and pecking order issues.

DH insisted he would be ok crated in the barn overnight but today he is trembling, weak and now in a box in our RV with me and my two cats (who are stressing him out a little just by being present, but I can’t really segregate him and keep him warm). I have gotten some very wet crumbles with lightly scrambled egg, nutridrench, and sav-a-chick electrolytes water in a slurry into him, and he now seems to be trying to sleep in the box. He won’t sit down, but is leaning into the side of the box.

All help and advice appreciated,

 

[annaBsChick]

Maybe, I would keep him safe and warm and try to ensure he keeps eating and drinking.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I had an incident one time. Our hens attacked, killed, & ate the rooster we put in with him. He was a very friendly boy, & didn't deserve being eaten alive by his ladies. They ate him butt first.

 

[MysteryChicken]

@Wyorp Rock
@helpforlilpeeps

 

[Kris5902]

Warm has been hard to do, we’ve been barely managing to keep our living space above 3 degrees Celsius this last week... he’s planted right in front of the heater, about 7 feet back from it. And I have no intentions of putting him back in with those girls anytime soon, maybe never. He’s a really sweet boy, gentle with them and everything seemed to be going fine, until it wasn’t. They never tried this with the other rooster, and it was the 1 yo hens, not the new girls that decided to rip his tail out

 

[Kris5902]

We’re also beyond a little tight for space, the only crate I have that fits him height wise is too large to bring in through the door... and we are living in a 25’ RV. I have him sitting in front of our only heat source and Olympian wave 6 catalytic propane heater. And we live on an island so there’s no quick trip to Walmart to buy a better sized crate

 

[Kris5902]

I should also add I staunched the breeding with cornstarch, and Blu Koted the tail area. His vent is fine to the best I can see.

 

[Kris5902]

@Eggcessive does this look like frostbite on his comb? Is it possible for the comb to go black like that from stress/trauma?

 

[Eggcessive]

I looked at your thread earlier, so sorry I didn’t post, but had feedings to do for all the animals. The comb could have some frostbite on the tips, but it looks a bit like damage from wire fencing, such as being forced to run against fencing to get away. If it is frostbite, it doesn’t look to bad. I usually don’t do much for frostbite on the comb, but here it is not much worse that your case, if that is frostbite. My rooster would always feel poorly during his molt, and he should be a bit more strong when he gets through it. I would just continue to care for him as you are doing, and try eventually to get him back out in the cool weather when possible. Some Vetericyn or your favorite disinfectant would be good to use on his barespots on his tail area. I would give him some goodies such as egg, tuna, or ground meat as well as some dry and wet chicken feed to get him eating. The electrolytes and vitamins would be great to continue for a few days. I hope he gets better soon.

 

[Kris5902]

I looked at your thread earlier, so sorry I didn’t post, but had feedings to do for all the animals. The comb could have some frostbite on the tips, but it looks a bit like damage from wire fencing, such as being forced to run against fencing to get away. If it is frostbite, it doesn’t look to bad. I usually don’t do much for frostbite on the comb, but here it is not much worse that your case, if that is frostbite. My rooster would always feel poorly during his molt, and he should be a bit more strong when he gets through it. I would just continue to care for him as you are doing, and try eventually to get him back out in the cool weather when possible. Some Vetericyn or your favorite disinfectant would be good to use on his barespots on his tail area. I would give him some goodies such as egg, tuna, or ground meat as well as some dry and wet chicken feed to get him eating. The electrolytes and vitamins would be great to continue for a few days. I hope he gets better soon.

Thanks so much! Haven’t had to deal with frostbite, and hopefully will never have to deal with any severe cases. I was worried as he had lost a lot of blood, and just wanted to get the tail bleeding stopped ASAP. I should have brought him in last night. Once he’s more active and feeling better I can confine him in our cooler bathroom before transitioning him back outside. I never would have expected my smallest hens to do something so violent to him. He’s getting spoon fed the very wet feed and is snapping up meal worms.