2 hens with wounds on the back of their necks

[somebodysmom]

On Sunday morning my husband brought me one of your girls (16 wk generic farm store chicken) and the back of her neck has a quarter size open wound. The feathers are gone from the wound area and the feathers around it were sticky with what I assume is blood. We put her in the dog kennel alone for the day and that night. We thought that an animal may have gotten to her and one corner of the coop was smeared with dried blood. When we closed the coop for the night we discovered another one with a very similar, although not as serious wound.

I suspect one or more of the roosters (there are 4, which is another story all by itself!) caused the wounds and I want to be rid of the roosters. We have a total of 14, 10 hens and 4 roosters, all bought at the same time when they were 2 days old (and all sold as pullets). My husband is resisting doing away with the roosters.

I threw the roosters out of the coop and have kept the hens locked in the coop and the run since Sunday night. I reintroduced the first hen on Monday with seemingly no problems among the hens.

So my question is - is it possible that the roosters (one or all) caused the injuries? I know that more than one rooster is not good, but do they fight with each other (these don't seem to) or get more aggresive with the hens?

The large wound seems to be healing - it was crusted over but today I noticed that part of it is broken open again - another hen going after her? I may have to separate her agian.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Christine

 

[Judy]

Yes it's possible roosters did this. Other chickens will peck an open wound, too. Some roos are much rougher on hens when mating than others are.

 

[Mama duck 8]

It was for sure the roosters.. If you have too many roos they will feel like they have to be getting on the girls all the time..And eventually your girls will have featherless backs, heads, and necks.

 

[hennyannie]

And young roos sometimes are very agressive with the hens. If he even started a wound on them the others would peck at it.