Hens head is all balled and don’t know what to do. (Not an emergency)

[Traffie Chickens]

Hi y’all! So we have a hen that is getting more feathers ripped out by the day. It’s our rooster that’s mounting her, but is grabbing her comb area instead of behind the neck. We (would) separate the rooster until he matures a bit, but we are leaving for the week. And we don’t want to make things more complicated for the person who’s watching our chickens. Is there something else I can do for her before I leave?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

You are either going to have to separate her or him or it will only get worse. Nothing to stop a young cockerel who doesn’t know what he’s doing.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes, separate or he will scalp her.

 

[Traffie Chickens]

I definitely will once our trip is done, but our setup for segregation is very hard to get to. So I wouldn’t want the person who’s watching our chickens to have to do it. I’ll show you pics of it.

When we need to segrate a bird, We put a fence under the coop part, and you have to practically sit on the ground and pull open the side of the fence to reach in and grab the food and water dishes. Haha! It is NOT ideal, but it’s pretty much all we can do.

 

[21hens-incharge]

You should do something before the trip or she may be killed by him before you get back.

 

[Eggcessive]

Borrow or buy a wire dog crate and keep the rooster in there with food and water. Otherwise this hen or another may get hurt badly. Or give him away.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

You should do something before the trip or she may be killed by him before you get back.

Agreed. I have a quail that I need to re home, because the last time I thought he would be fine (left for literally 24 hours), and he had the flesh ripped off the back of his skull in a territorial fight. He’s doing better now, but I think his little brother Pythagoras wants to kill him.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Borrow or buy a wire dog crate and keep the rooster in there with food and water. Otherwise this hen or another may get hurt badly. Or give him away.

^^^This!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The person caring for your chickens is going to feel terrible if/when they have to deal with a mutilated/dead hen. They may never agree to watch your chickens again. Do you have a friend or neighbor that would be willing to take the rooster during your absence? Alternatively, would you consider culling this rooster who is terrible at his job?

 

[Traffie Chickens]

Ok! These are making me nervous! She is my favorite hen! I’m going to have to find something to do.