Big Roo with banty hen - could she have been injured

[LY]

I'm feeling terrible. Our banty hen had laid an egg with a small amount of blood on it. I didn't think much of it until I saw the young Road Island Red Rooster with her (he's about 6 months old). He was pretty rough with her and she seemed to be the target of his "affection" as the other hens are larger. I went away overnight on a business trip and have now found her dead. I'm feeling horrible.... Could it be he was too big for her to handle? Can you mix small and large breeds? Any advice would be helpful as I would like to get more bantys but won't if we end up keeping this rooster.

 

[gritsar]

I'm terribly sorry for your loss.

I suppose it's possible that your hen could have been hurt by the larger roo, but a small amount of blood on the egg especially with new layers is not a cause for concern. It happens with or without mating. Same goes for meat spots and/or blood spots within the egg itself.
So yes it's possible but all I can tell you is my personal experience. I have an accidental bantam brahma hen. She was supposed to be large fowl like my other brahmas. I also have a 13 lb. brahma rooster and my bantam hen has never once shown any injury. She gets mated alot because she happens to be one of my roo's favorites.

 

[sourland]

I doubt if the blood on the egg had anything to do with the rooster, but it is possible for a large rooster to injure or even kill a bantam hen while attempting to mate her. Just look at the size difference.