Hello

[Jhandley]

Hello! We r from arkansas and just recently got a mix of chicks. We have 4 road island red, 2 Americans, 2 rooster, and a tom turkey all about 5months old. Everyone has gotten along well til this week. One of my reds is staying to herself under the stairs. They r all free range. She is sleeping alot, does not join the flock, and the turkey and roosters keep hitting her on her neck. She is never easy to catch now she just stands there. I am concerned she may be sick. No mites. She eats OK. Color good. Almost acts scared. Is it just time to start mating or should I be concerned. Thank you.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Welcome to BYC!
You have a bit of imbalance in your gender ratios there - generally speaking you want one rooster for 10 hens, so you are rooster heavy and this can lead to issues for your hens as they are overmated, harassed, etc -- which it sounds like is already starting to happen to your poor girl. For her sake (and that of your other hens) I would suggest reducing your rooster population - or increasing your hens.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. I was born in Hot Springs, AR, and my grandparents lived there for many years. I still love the Hot Springs area. I'm a chicken person and don't know much about turkeys (never had any), so you might want to post this question with regard to the turkey on our turkey section at https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/20/turkeys.

As far as your roosters, you need to cull one of them from your flock (the more aggressive one) as you have too many roosters to the number of hens (especially if either of your roosters is a Rhode Island Red). The recommended ratio of roosters to hens is 1 rooster for every 10 hens. Any more roosters than that can quickly lead to aggression, fights, feather plucking, and over-bred and battered hens. When you really get down to it, the only reason you really need a rooster is to fertilize eggs for hatching. I currently have 25 hens, no roosters, and I get loads of eggs without feeding any non-egg laying mouths, without the aggression, fights, crowing in the middle of the night, and over-bred and battered hens that frequently goes along with having roosters (especially too many of them).

As for your hen, spray some Blue Kote Wound Spray on the area where they have been pecking her neck. It will help heal any injured flesh, hide any blood that might entice more pecking, and the bad taste will discouraged more pecking in that area. If your not familiar with Blue Kote, you can see it at http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/blue_kote_wound_dressing.html. Good luck with your flock.

 

[Jhandley]

Thank u for replying. We figured that. One rooster was suppose to be a hen but owner wasn't sure. What about the turkey he is hitting her neck to and fluffing out at her. Will he cause stress on my hens.

 

[Jhandley]

Thank u. I will post there too.

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank u for replying. We figured that. One rooster was suppose to be a hen but owner wasn't sure. What about the turkey he is hitting her neck to and fluffing out at her. Will he cause stress on my hens.

I think you may have been posting while I was posting, but check with the turkey folks at https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/20/turkeys.

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank u. I will post there too.

This is like phone tag. LOL!

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

X2 on posting in our Turkeys section for more help with the Tom. But you might post this question in our emergency section too. Birds that isolate themselves generally are sick in some way. The quicker you catch this, the more likely you will safe her....https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

Good luck and I hope this hen is going to be ok.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Sorry for your hen, you've gotten some good advice and links above for help. If the tom is going after the chickens you might want to separate him away from the them, especially the one that is not acting right, until you figure out what to do.

 

[drumstick diva]

You really need to separate the chickens from the turkey. Turkey males have killed chicken hens trying to breed them, often from suffocation. He needs his own flock of turkey girls or for Thanksgiving to happen much earlier. He may have caused internal injury to your hen - have you checked her out well for damage. She has even reason to hide.