Help!!! Rooster almost killed my best hen " Big Momma"

[Minnesotan]

I just got my chickens this summer, nine hens and one rooster. They've been doing great and getting along just fine, until tonight. When I went to lock up the coop and do a head count, I was one short. I immediately knew my favorite hen "Big Momma" was missing. My daughter and I looked for over an hour before finding her in the shed hiding under the mower. All day today she was acting weird, she was not hanging out with the rest of my chickens, she was scared of something and only wanted to be near me. Well, I should have known something was up, but now its too late. She is in very bad shape, it looks like something tore her skin right off the scalp and her right eye is dangling from the socket with plenty of blood all over her. At first I thought a coon or a cat had gotten her, then I started to think that the young rooster might have done it. I went back to the coop and checked out the rooster, he had blood all over he's feet and face.

Anyway, I got "Big Momma" sleeping in the garage tonight in a kennel, I don't believe she will survive the night.. I'm just wondering if I need to get rid of the rooster " Fog Horn Leg Horn? Do you guys think he is a threat to the rest my hens??

 

[Veer67]

If your young rooster caused an injury that bad, I would consider getting rid of him or separating him from the other chickens. Who knows if this may happen again to another hen.

 

[Minnesotan]

That's what I'm worried about. It just puzzles me though, my hens and the rooster all get along very well, even when he's mating them he's not too aggressive.

 

[Veer67]

I would keep an eye on your rooster for the time being to avoid this happening again. Maybe a predator did get Big Momma and your rooster saved her? How's your injured hen doing?

 

[Minnesotan]

I just checked on her, she is still breathing and she did drink some water, I just don't see how she will be able to survive.. I don't know much about chickens though.

 

[Veer67]

I don't know that much about chicken injury and emergency stuff, but I think that you should apply some antibiotic cream like neosporin on her wounds https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...orin-or-related-antibiotic-creams-on-chickens. Do you have pictures, how bad are the wounds?

 

[Minnesotan]

Ok, I'll try that.

 

[Minnesotan]

I'll post some pics too.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Is it possible that a predator could have gotten to your hen? it doesn't exactly make sense that your rooster would 'out of the blue' attack your hen if they were getting along just fine before.... I'm hoping your hen makes it through the night.

 

[Minnesotan]