Hens only- still scalping??

[speng5]

At this point I have only hens. Today I checked them when I woke up and gathered eggs, and I notice one with a bloody head? I’ve notice another baldy or two here and there since going “hens only”, but this is damage on par with what the boys were doing before they hit the freezer! What gives here?

For some background info, there is never a shortage of food. I give them a large chicken style feeder which lasts almost a week, and I top it off every 3-4 days so it’s never more than maybe half empty. I can’t think it’s protein related either as they get a mix of layer crumbles and gamebird starter that should total around 26% if my math adds up, plus they get worms crickets and mealworms occasionally so I can't think nutrition is a problem.

Also worth noting overcrowding isn't an issue because given the standard 1 sq ft/bird requirement, these hens are more than double that.

 

[Nabiki]

Do they have hiding places?

 

[Susan Skylark]

Any chance you missed a boy when you sexed them? There’s an old joke out there that you aren’t a real vet until you’ve spayed a Tom cat, this stuff happens, even to the professionals!

 

[Nabiki]

Any chance you missed a boy when you sexed them? There’s an old joke out there that you aren’t a real vet until you’ve spayed a Tom cat, this stuff happens, even to the professionals!

I thought I had a male and a female kitten. The vet thought I had a male and a female kitten. Then it was time to get them fixed and it turned out that they were both female.

 

[CliftonQuail]

Any chance you missed a boy when you sexed them? There’s an old joke out there that you aren’t a real vet until you’ve spayed a Tom cat, this stuff happens, even to the professionals!

I once had a very aggressive coturnix hen that was in a cage with 4 other hens and a rooster. The first time I found a scalped hen, I blamed the rooster and switched him out. The second time I found a scalped bird, it was the new roo and he was dead. I put a third rooster in and watched for a few minutes. All 4 girls attacked him, so I got him out quickly and left that cage as hens only. They were definitely all hens because I got 4 eggs/day all with different patterns. I finally figured out which of the hens was attacking the others and she went to freezer camp with some excess males, but I lost another hen before figuring out the attacker. At that point, I rearranged my breeding pairs and split the remaining two hens into new cages. I haven't seen any major damage in months.

 

[speng5]

Do they have hiding places?

They do although I am not sure what the proper ratio is or how many I should have? I am always taking branches from the yard that blow down from storms and have leaves on them and throwing them in the pen. Also I have a few of those hollowed out half-log things that are for larger lizards in there. Lastly I have some cut up lengths of brown corrugated plastic downspout extension they seem to like, especially the pieces with the square "spout end" attached.

Any chance you missed a boy when you sexed them? There’s an old joke out there that you aren’t a real vet until you’ve spayed a Tom cat, this stuff happens, even to the professionals!

I guess the chance is never 0% but I can hardly think there is a secret roo? Mine are all pharao/wild type coloration so sexing them was pretty easy. Plus after my last roo got taken out, I haven't heard any crowing...

 

[speng5]

I once had a very aggressive coturnix hen that was in a cage with 4 other hens and a rooster. The first time I found a scalped hen, I blamed the rooster and switched him out. The second time I found a scalped bird, it was the new roo and he was dead. I put a third rooster in and watched for a few minutes. All 4 girls attacked him, so I got him out quickly and left that cage as hens only. They were definitely all hens because I got 4 eggs/day all with different patterns. I finally figured out which of the hens was attacking the others and she went to freezer camp with some excess males, but I lost another hen before figuring out the attacker. At that point, I rearranged my breeding pairs and split the remaining two hens into new cages. I haven't seen any major damage in months.

I may have to just sit and observe for a while cuz I kinda think something like this is going on. There is one hen that is quite a bit larger than the others even though she was hatched with everyone else. I can't say for sure if that makes her a bully but maybe?