- Feb 1, 2009
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We have 6 layers (assorted breeds) and 1 roo (a silver polish) named Phil. They are all 6 mos old and the hens are laying nicely. Four weeks ago we found that several of the hens had pecked Phil's rear end and he was bleeding, feathers missing, etc.
We separated him, kept him in our basement for 6 days, and returned him for a few hours to see how it would go (which I know now was too soon). They immediately pecked him again. I removed him again, and gave him 10 more days to heal. On the weekends and late afternoons we let him free range and he spent all his time watching the girls from outside the pen. We let the hens out two at a time with him on a couple of occasions, hoping he would assert some dominance over them, and that they would magically work it out (no pecking on those occasions, or he would at least move away) Every night we caught him and brought him back in the basement where he lived in a dog crate.
Finally, he was healed (no scabs, only new feathers and a few bare places) and we decided to try again. We put mustard on his butt, which didn't work. Then vicks vapo-rub, which worked a little. We had a family emergency and had to leave town for several days and they were all cooped up together for 48+ hours.
Phil's injured again much worse and in the same spot and we guess we will have to re-home him. Anything else we should try first? My hubby's become a bit attached to him as he's been the one to catch and hold him. He is a pretty nice roo, not too aggressive toward us, but he's not sticking up for himself with the girls. What about separating the hens that are the offenders for a while, would they lose their place in the pecking order and stop pecking him when returned to the flock?
No hens are getting pecked. Their space, 4x6 ft coop and a 15x15 ft pen, may be a little too small but now that they've started pecking him will enlarging it make a difference?
De-beaking is not an option for us, rooster booster and blu kote are not sold locally. I could order from the web, but in my reading it sounds like people have mixed results with both products.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have!
Kim in Pa
We separated him, kept him in our basement for 6 days, and returned him for a few hours to see how it would go (which I know now was too soon). They immediately pecked him again. I removed him again, and gave him 10 more days to heal. On the weekends and late afternoons we let him free range and he spent all his time watching the girls from outside the pen. We let the hens out two at a time with him on a couple of occasions, hoping he would assert some dominance over them, and that they would magically work it out (no pecking on those occasions, or he would at least move away) Every night we caught him and brought him back in the basement where he lived in a dog crate.
Finally, he was healed (no scabs, only new feathers and a few bare places) and we decided to try again. We put mustard on his butt, which didn't work. Then vicks vapo-rub, which worked a little. We had a family emergency and had to leave town for several days and they were all cooped up together for 48+ hours.
Phil's injured again much worse and in the same spot and we guess we will have to re-home him. Anything else we should try first? My hubby's become a bit attached to him as he's been the one to catch and hold him. He is a pretty nice roo, not too aggressive toward us, but he's not sticking up for himself with the girls. What about separating the hens that are the offenders for a while, would they lose their place in the pecking order and stop pecking him when returned to the flock?
No hens are getting pecked. Their space, 4x6 ft coop and a 15x15 ft pen, may be a little too small but now that they've started pecking him will enlarging it make a difference?
De-beaking is not an option for us, rooster booster and blu kote are not sold locally. I could order from the web, but in my reading it sounds like people have mixed results with both products.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have!
Kim in Pa
. We were so please. they also seem to quit picking on each other to a point, feathers were growing back in and they looked good. We had been using talc powder to discourage pecking, but also purchased rooster booster, which we've yet to use b/c it seem to stop and I've read very different reviews on it. They have a diet of corn, laying pellets, chicken scratch, poultry shell and grit. I hope we're doing right with that. They had however previously been on organic feed, but they haven't seem to mind the switch, no diarrhea or anything. We actually got 12 eggs the 5th day. The temp. has been crazy the last few days here on the high end of 90, we are running the fan, keeping lots of fresh water, giving them cool treats (cabbage, strawberries and tomatoes which they seem to love) We visit the coop several times during the day and the flock is very social, but when I went in to visit this afternoon my rooster, Robbie was a wreck his comb was tore and his neck a bloody mess we immediately saw the culprit with a blood covered breast from where she has picked at him so much, we cleaned his wound with distilled water and treated it with antibiotic ointment and put him a large dog cage inside the coop the hens can't get to him. We gave him plenty of food and water but his neck looks terrible we are unsure if we did the right thing leaving him in the coop quarantined or not. I welcome any advice on this. I don't understand why Henriette the white hen is picking on him so much they seem to be a couple she roost beside him every night and she is the only chicken whose feathers are untouched all the others except the babies have some missing feathers. I guess we were just wondering if we can keep him in the coop but in a separate cage so he can stay with his girls or if we need to move him out till he heals, and could we let him out to roost with the others at night or would they still pick on him? The other hens seem to just be following suit with Henrietta and picking at him too 
(((
