HELP: Rooster fight, one with serious injury...cull?

Jeffross1968

Songster
8 Years
May 14, 2011
1,130
16
191
Smoky Mountains
Due to my hens laying elsewhere, I kept them locked up the last couple days. I apparently was too stupid to consider my roosters, one of which is the alpha and has been chasing the other anytime it gets to within a few feet during the day. I went out to give some scratch and found the non-alpha by the run door, blood all over it's head and comb. I picked it up, and while it's alive and breathing (heavy) it's listless and won't pick up its head. I've put it in a plastic tub, and it still hasnt lifted its head and has just flopped around a bit. Am I looking at brain damage? Should I cull it immediately?
 
It could be in shock after the attack perhaps. I had a hen who was attacked by a hawk, and she was laying on her side and really nonresponsive. I thought she was going to die for sure. We put her in a pen in the barn and I was surprised to see her sitting up the next day. It took her a while to recover, but she did. If you decide you want to save him keep him warm while he is getting over the shock. I can understand if you don't want him to suffer and decide to cull though.
 
I think it was a mortal neck or head injury. There was some blood, but I don't think it bled to death. I isolated it, and while it did move around, it was never able to pull it's head off the ground. At one point, it took its last breath and it was over. That boy spent the last 2 months running from the alpha roo and sleeping 2 feet from it every night. Locking them up was the wrong move.
 
Sorry to hear about the rooster. You were just doing what you thought was best, and that is all that matters. I am sure you didn't want this outcome, and didn't intentionally put the rooster in harms way. Don't be too hard on yourself.
 

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