Hens pecking at my roosters comb

[summerb123]

OK my boy Oscar keeps getting his comb pecked at when I see the hens peck at him I try to get them to stop but I'm not out there 24/7! He lets the hens do it! Ive watched him! I went out there and his comb was covered in blood! What should I do? How should I stop the hens from pecking at his comb? I've tried Blue-Kote before it didn't work and turned out to be a big mess!



(pictures of the hens pecking at his comb^)

 

[sourland]

He is very evidently a gentle rooster. It appears as if they are also feather pecking his neck. I would affix Pin Less Peepers to the hens that are doing the picking. Allow him to heal up, and sometimes they can be removed and the bad habit will have been broken.

 

[ladyearth]

Pob cause they are all bored to death stuck in "pens"..... Why not let them run around say !/2 HR TO 1 hr before bedtime. You or someone else out there with them.. I did so for my first group and I swear they all "smiled". Even tho they have a very large "pen" attached to the coop....
I kept a walking stick next to the gate and when I came near they all perked up > they gathered at the gate everyday waiting and hoping
Just make sure if you have dogs etc they are trained or"locked up" I would walk around with them....
take care and Blessings

 

[ShrekDawg]

I agree with Sour but I also wanna say that from what I can see the run looks pretty muddy and barren so I would say add stuff for them to do too. The mud isn't necessarily a problem, happens to me too in bad weather, but bored hens (or all chickens really) are naughty chickens. Even if you stop the pecking, they could still have behavior problems. I would try to add some things to occupy them or let them free range. It looks like the run is plenty big enough but in my experience, even if they technically have enough space, if it's barren space they still get bored. Now, you could have stuff to do and I just can't see it here, I don't know. But I think you have to treat the root of the problem not just the symptoms. Hope that helps.

 

[summerb123]

I've told and told my dad he needs to move the coop! He has fail to do it! An he is fixing to go over the road for his job so I guess its my problem now!

 

[ShrekDawg]

You don't even necessarily move it, you could just put some different bedding down. Looks pretty big to move or is it a tractor? Could try putting sand down or deep litter. Does it have a roof? That might help

 

[summerb123]

It takes a tractor too pull that tractor and we move it all over the garden but we don't have the tractor at or house... It's complicated!

 

[Isaac 0]

As others said straw would be good.Chickens love bedding to scratch in,if you put some BOSS in the straw they will (probably) stop pecking.I would also put some Boredom Busters in there for them.


http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/02/10-boredom-busters-for-chickens.html

 

[ShrekDawg]

It takes a tractor too pull that tractor and we move it all over the garden but we don't have the tractor at or house... It's complicated!

Ohhh okay

 

[summerb123]

+ free ranging is NOT an option are chickens would be gone in days do to are dogs and the other predators we would be a waist of time so they stayvin a coop I guess we need to stop at the co-op soon but can I use cedar shavings for now?