Her comb is just too big!

[Sunny the Chicken]

One of my Leghorn hens has the biggest comb ever. Which basically means whenever my rooster mates her, he accidentally grabs down on her comb instead of her head feathers... and of course it rips and starts bleeding. It's not his fault, he's a very gentle boy and if they start squawking he gets off (they usually don't though). It's the 2nd time this happened though (the first time was really severe because her entire head was drenched in blood, but this time a couple of her neck feathers have blood on them.
I saw somewhere that you smear pine tar or something on the back of your hen's heads, the rooster mates them, and the unpleasant taste revokes him so he doesn't feel like doing it again? What should I do?

 

[sourland]

The pine tar will not work.

 

[Sunny the Chicken]

The pine tar will not work.

What else would work?

 

[sourland]

I'm not certain there is anything that can be done. I have had the same problem upon occasion with leghorn hens - especially with cockerels rather than mature roosters.

 

[FathertoFeathers]

I’ve seen this article before. Not sure if this is something you can do or not but your post reminded me of this.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...arge-comb-of-rooster-life-saving-guide.74418/

 

[Sunny the Chicken]

I’ve seen this article before. Not sure if this is something you can do or not but your post reminded me of this.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...arge-comb-of-rooster-life-saving-guide.74418/

I'll check it out!

 

[raingarden]

You want to put pine tar on a white chicken? She'll nevr be the same. I'd stop the bleedng with styptic if it gets bad and let them work it out.

 

[Sunny the Chicken]

Okay. Yeah I wouldn't feel too comfortable docking her comb or putting the pine tar on.