Bloody Rooster Help (I am going on vacation)

[france]

I have one silkie rooster with 12 standard hens. One of the hens is pecking everyone. I cannot
tell which one is doing the pecking or I would pull her out. Half the hens have bare skin showing
on their necks and the other half are fine. The rooster has been pecked enough in the chest he
was bleeding yesterday. I leave in 2 days for Disney. (so of course I have a
bloody rooster and a son who is puking) I have a pet sitter who is familiar with chickens. But what do I do????

I do not have another coop unless I stuff
him in with the two silkie girls, and their space is tight as it is. Plus they have not seen him in
over a month. I do have a large cat carrier I could
put him in for a few days. Then the pet sitter could let him out. If I left the cat carrier in the
coop would he be OK?

Ideas?

 

[jenjscott]

A cat carrier is pretty small, but he needs to be up somewhere. Once there is blood they will all pick. Even a large cardboard box with some chicken wire on one side would work.

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:
I agree with jenjscott-a cat carrier seems a little too restrictive for a rooster for several days. Leaving the hospital cage in the coop is a good idea(that way no reintegration process once he is healed). Perhaps you can rig up a larger, safe area for him while you are on vacation.

Good luck and hope your son and your rooster get better!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know a good way to identify the troublemaker other than observation. Good luck with that.

I would not put the rooster in with the silkies. If he is injured, the silkies could cannibalize him as much as the others. I think the cat carrier in the coop idea is your best bet.

I had a somewhat similar situation in that a rooster was pecked bare just under the neck. He was not yet bleeding but was pecked raw. Several hens were pecking him, not just one. I isolated him for two days, then let him back with the others after it had scabbed over. He was OK after that. I think he was molting, a hen went after a blood-filled feather, and that started it. Not sure though.

Good luck!! It seems these things happen when it is most inconvenient.

 

[tinkbell]

I spray the area with blue lotion or wound-kote, and keep an eye on him and see if they still pick on him, mine usually quit picking after their sprayed. Hope everything turns out!

 

[cobrien]

Maybe check with friends who have dogs, craigslist, classifieds to find or borrow a larger dog crate. You still have 2 days and they are sometimes easy to find used. I'd opt for the cardboard box, used playpen...anything I could find to keep him isolated but in the same coop if you can't get a dog crate.