Bloody rooster, but not his own blood

[BLG0617]

My chickens are normally out to free range or in the run but it was brutally cold today so I left them in. This morning when I watered and checked on them all was well. This evening I went out to water and check on them and my rooster is bloody. He's a light brahma so it's very easy to spot. I picked him up and checked him over really well and he's not injured. So then I thought, maybe he tore up one of the hens. Nope, all the hens are looking good and no signs of injuries either. The only thing out of the ordinary was all the nesting boxes were completely emptied of hay. No loose feathers, no feathers in the coop. What could of gotten in there? There's one tiny crack maybe 1/4th of an inch, so I didn't believe it was big enough for any predators to get in. Maybe a racoon tried reaching just a hand in and my rooster tore it up? I'm so confused and I hate thinking something may have gotten in there. I'll definitely be fixing the small crack now but it's not something I can get supplies to deal with until tomorrow.

 

[Opiumbrella]

My chickens are normally out to free range or in the run but it was brutally cold today so I left them in. This morning when I watered and checked on them all was well. This evening I went out to water and check on them and my rooster is bloody. He's a light brahma so it's very easy to spot. I picked him up and checked him over really well and he's not injured. So then I thought, maybe he tore up one of the hens. Nope, all the hens are looking good and no signs of injuries either. The only thing out of the ordinary was all the nesting boxes were completely emptied of hay. No loose feathers, no feathers in the coop. What could of gotten in there? There's one tiny crack maybe 1/4th of an inch, so I didn't believe it was big enough for any predators to get in. Maybe a racoon tried reaching just a hand in and my rooster tore it up? I'm so confused and I hate thinking something may have gotten in there. I'll definitely be fixing the small crack now but it's not something I can get supplies to deal with until tomorrow.

My white rooster always has blood on him from catching tearing apart and feeding barn mice to hens. One time he was actually hurt (not badly just a peck to the comb) and I ignored it at first because I had been through that with his so many times. He is huge. And he goes after those mice like nothing I’ve ever seen. Uses his feet and beak to tear them up after bashing them into the ground. It is quite scary to watch lol.

 

[BLG0617]

My white rooster always has blood on him from catching tearing apart and feeding barn mice to hens. One time he was actually hurt (not badly just a peck to the comb) and I ignored it at first because I had been through that with his so many times. He is huge. And he goes after those mice like nothing I’ve ever seen. Uses his feet and beak to tear them up after bashing them into the ground. It is quite scary to watch lol.

I didn't even think of that but it's very possible, and if that's the case it makes me feel ALOT better then the possibility of a real predator lol.

 

[centrarchid]

Rooster suffering from frostbite? Birds themselves can remove bedding as some come into lay later than others.

 

[BLG0617]

Rooster suffering from frostbite? Birds themselves can remove bedding as some come into lay later than others.

No frostbite going on. All of my hens are laying and have been laying all winter, this was more then them just nesting, I'm talking completely emptied down to the wood.

 

[cmom]

If you have a camera put it up and you may be able to solve the mystery. I love my cameras.