Hen with swollen bald head.. Black on comb... Pics

[CoopCrazy]

I have a Barred Rock that I think was beaten up by my roos.. Now this paticular girl doesnt like people very much at all.. The only time I get to look her over well is if I catch her on the nest or just as she is rumming out at in the morning.. I noticed yeasterday after the boys had been freeranging with the girls all weekend that her head is swollen almost all the feathers have been picked off and her comb has black spots(possibly dried blood) on it... I found out from my folks that they had had to put the boys in their pen over the weekend as they were teaming up to mount the hens and ripping huge amounts of feathers out.. My parents are certain that this is the same hen they had been harrasing.. But I want to make sure it isnt anything more serious..

Sorry the pics are from my phone and she was being less the cooperative...

 

[gameboygal12]

awww poor thing! IDK what you can do to make the roosters stop, but if it starts to turn into a cut, you can put neosporin on it and it'll heal up pretty quick

 

[Sooner]

The looks of it an what your parents saw makes me think that is what happened to her. You need to watch to make sure the other hens aren't picking on her now also with the blood ect.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Thanks for the quick replie folks.. so far I havent seen the girls picking but will isolate if need be.. The roos will be going to the freezer tonight as I will NOT have mean roos at my house.. I am hoping the swelling will be down today when I get home from work.. She is soo skittish or I would have already cleaned her up and atleast put some A&D oint on it.. I was really afraid to stress her last night as she looked miserable.. Poor thing ..

 

[MikasGirl]

I wouldn't go so far as to cull both of them, maybe keep one roo? Then the double teaming won't be a problem. It seems wasteful to kill two roosters when you can possibly solve the problem by keeping just one of them. That is just my view on the matter, do whatever fits you better. Good luck.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
My only reason for wnating to cull both is at seperate times I have let them out and they both seem soo aggressive.. I have seen some aggressive roos and these guys just make me nervous.. Plus I have kids and dont want them to get harmed by them ..

 

[MikasGirl]

Okay, well that is understandable. It's too bad that they are both mean.