Rooster Injured Hen

[Oregoncoastchick]

We have a rooster (almost 1yr old) who has been really good until now. He’s been second on the totem pole to a head hen and this weekend he started trying to mate her for the first time. Today we went out and she was scalped. We’ve separated her and hoping that she’ll heal. Do you think this calls for a pot of rooster stew? He’s been a really good guy so far. Friendly and not aggressive at all. I just don’t know if it was an accident of an overeager cockerel or a sign of aggressive behavior to come.

 

[sourland]

This sometimes happens when a dominant hen fights/rejects a cockerel. It can escalate to the point that he kills the dominant hen but remains a good rooster to the rest of the flock. It is likely that you will have to separate him and that hen in one way or another.

 

[Oregoncoastchick]

This sometimes happens when a dominant hen fights/rejects a cockerel. It can escalate to the point that he kills the dominant hen but remains a good rooster to the rest of the flock. It is likely that you will have to separate him and that hen in one way or another.

In your experience do you think having her removed while healing will disrupt the pecking order enough that he won’t feel challenged by her when she’s reintroduced?

 

[Tonyroo]

You should have left her to fight it out with your rooster. Once she submits to him they will be a good flock member.

I experienced this with my first rooster 4 years ago. Ever since that day the rooster been caring for all the hens even new ones I hatched from the head hen. And he's great with baby chicks. I think he knows there his babies.

 

[Tonyroo]

Also the fight didnt last very long. When she finally submitted to him by cowering down to him everything changed as far as how they interacted with each other and the rest of the flock. After that she started to roost next to him and sometimes groomed each others feathers before they slept.

 

[16 and me]

In your experience do you think having her removed while healing will disrupt the pecking order enough that he won’t feel challenged by her when she’s reintroduced?

I wouldn't count on it. His job is to be the head of the flock, and she is being insubordinate. If he were younger, I'd say it is possible that if he is separated until he is a full fledged rooster, his hormones may settle down, but a) he's almost there now, and b) that hen is likely traumatized & will likely be even more fearful of him at re-introduction, and he could kill her.
I just culled my favourite cockerel for the same behaviour.
It's a difficult call, but unless you can be assured that he can be kept separated you risk a serious attack on a hen. I have heard a situation on here where the hen & roo were in side-by-side cages for a little while and they had no access to the rest of the flock and they bonded. If you really want to keep them both, you could try it, but keep a very close eye on them.
I had another cockerel lined up, so it made more sense to cull Xander and keep peace in the flock. I wish you the best, whichever way you go.

 

[16 and me]

Also the fight didnt last very long. When she finally submitted to him by cowering down to him everything changed as far as how they interacted with each other and the rest of the flock. After that she started to roost next to him and sometimes groomed each others feathers before they slept.

That is not always the case, unfortunately. I saw the hen submit to him that morning, I thought all would be well. I walked out in the afternoon after hearing very strange squealing and found her squatted in the corner alone. She was already injured and already submitting. He walked right by me, jumped on her and stood on her pecking her eye repeatedly until I got him off of her.

 

[Oregoncoastchick]

Also the fight didnt last very long. When she finally submitted to him by cowering down to him everything changed as far as how they interacted with each other and the rest of the flock. After that she started to roost next to him and sometimes groomed each others feathers before they slept.

I looked back at our cameras and it wasn’t a fight, it was while he was mounting her. From what i observed she had submitted to him the last couple days and then yesterday in when the injury happened.

 

[Oregoncoastchick]

That is not always the case, unfortunately. I saw the hen submit to him that morning, I thought all would be well. I walked out in the afternoon after hearing very strange squealing and found her squatted in the corner alone. She was already injured and already submitting. He walked right by me, jumped on her and stood on her pecking her eye repeatedly until I got him off of her.

I looked back at our cameras and it looks like it was a similar situation. She had submitted to him and then he mounted her and caused the injury. It seems like it happened yesterday morning and he’s pretty much left her alone since then but we separated her to heal now.

 

[Tonyroo]

I looked back at our cameras and it looks like it was a similar situation. She had submitted to him and then he mounted her and caused the injury. It seems like it happened yesterday morning and he’s pretty much left her alone since then but we separated her to heal now.

As long as she submitted to him the flock dynamic will repair itself. Even when she gets returned from her injuries. Make sure she is fully healed up before taking her back. Depending on the injury it may take 3 weeks to fully heal.