Hi from South Carolina and need help with rehoming cockerel

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

Oh and use one of these to grind down spurs, this takes them down fast, less stress on the bird. Make sure to hold the spur when grinding...
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Hi Again - I found a great tutorial on trimming chicken nails... so ordered a dog nail snipper. I'm having an issue with Henny Penny not only taking out feathers on backs during mating, but he's pecking at Tally's head... see photo. Any suggestions?

 

[TwoCrows]

Hi Again. Thanks so much for the info on the tool to blunt our rooster's spurs. I've just ordered it now since we've been putting it off. We can't really get him from the roost at night since it's not a walk-in roost and he sleeps with gals around him. I think we're going to have to catch him during the day and work on his spurs. Do you use the same tool for trimming his pointy nails or something different? We may also have to put a saddle on one or two hens that have bigger and bigger bald spots on their backs. How long do you generally leave those on? Many many thanks.

I use guillotine style cutters on claws. Check out my article on trimming nails and beaks... https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beak-and-claw-trimming.74570/

Hi Again - I found a great tutorial on trimming chicken nails... so ordered a dog nail snipper. I'm having an issue with Henny Penny not only taking out feathers on backs during mating, but he's pecking at Tally's head... see photo. Any suggestions?

How many hens do you have? If you don't have enough hens, roosters over mate hens or they will pick one hen out of a few and over mate her. Any hen that needs a saddle needs to get a break from the rooster. You should have 6 or more hens per rooster and plenty of space for hens to escape the rooster. If the rooster is pecking at heads, he needs to be separated out, roos should never disrespect the gals. Good luck!

 

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

I use guillotine style cutters on claws. Check out my article on trimming nails and beaks... https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/beak-and-claw-trimming.74570/

How many hens do you have? If you don't have enough hens, roosters over mate hens or they will pick one hen out of a few and over mate her. Any hen that needs a saddle needs to get a break from the rooster. You should have 6 or more hens per rooster and plenty of space for hens to escape the rooster. If the rooster is pecking at heads, he needs to be separated out, roos should never disrespect the gals. Good luck!

Oh you're so kind to reply quickly! It was your article about nail trimming I found earlier today - soooo helpful. We do have lots of room for them and they free range during the day. We have 6 hens (5 mature, one not yet laying.) Originally got bad advice and only got 3 gals in the beginning to go with our "stray" rooster Henny Penny that adopted us. We tried to add 4 more ladies in June but one of them ended up being a cockerel which we managed to re-home after LOTS of effort. Based on feedback here, we kept Henny Penny since he's a great defender and re-homed "Conchita" the sweet White Faced Black Spanish cockerel. This is Henny Penny's first mating season, and folks here said he'll calm down with time...?

Tally's been the top of the pecking order and submitted to Henny all along vs. being chased around the yard like the others. So, it's unclear why he's pecking at her head and being rough with her now.

I'm wondering if a vet visit would be in order for Tally (Barred Plymouth Rock.) The past couple of weeks we've seen Henny bully her a couple of times, and as you can see in the photo, she's lost feathers on her head in addition to a growing patch on her back. Others have back bald spots but their heads are fine. About a week ago she laid a soft egg. We had a few soft eggs earlier in the summer when it was sweltering, but the weather's been pleasant the past couple of weeks. She's laid a couple of normal ones since, and then no egg for 4 days - unusual for her.

Thursday she was droopy with tail down and tried that night to roost in the small coop where the young gals sleep instead of the one with Henny (rooster) and other 2 gals her age. They shooed her out and she went back over to the "big people."

Since she was droopy Friday, I did some reading here, then around 6 pm palpated her crop and it seemed fine, gave her 600 mg of Calcium Citrate and put her in a crate by herself. Offered her electrolyte water, scrambled egg and regular feed, but she didn't eat. Had diarrhea overnight.

She seemed perky again yesterday (Saturday) morning so we let her out to free range with flock. When we gave everyone treats yesterday afternoon, Henny pecked at Tally when she reached for some. Last night she slept on a perching bar outside of enclosed sleeping area vs with Henny and other gals her age and had diahhrea.

Note: we've seen her eat some things that might cause tummy upset?? like an unlucky vole or mole about a week ago.

This morning (Sunday) we saw Henny be rough with her in the run before we let them out to free range. So, I gave Tally another 600 mg of Calcium Citrate and put her in the crate. She drank quite a bit of electrolyte water. Also left her a bit of yogurt and some regular feed. Came back a couple of hours later and she hadn't touched the yogurt but greedily ate 1/3 of a scrambled egg.

An hour later I checked in she'd thrown up, but again greedily ate another 1/3 of a scrambled egg. I checked again just now (1.5 hrs since last time) and she’d thrown up the second bit of eggs. I offered her a tiny bit more egg which she again ate greedily. She’s drinking electrolyte water (Flock Fixer by Strong Animals) Appetite is good but throwing up is troubling. What now?

Would you take her to the vet? Or take a stool sample? I found one who specializes in poultry, but of course don't want to unnecessarily traumatize Tally... and the cost is an issue. But they're pets vs. livestock for us and we want to care for them as such. Vet's closed on Sundays but I could call in the morning if necessary?

If she's doing better tomorrow, the crate's in separate fenced area we could keep Tally in for a few days where everyone could see each other, and then put back in the crate at night. Before putting back out with the whole gang, trim Henny's nails and blunt his spurs. Put a saddle on her.

If she's not better in the morning, vet? What would you do?

I have to go out of town for 3 days starting Wednesday morning so really want this sorted before. I work at home, so check on the flock regularly, my husband is only here when he gets back from work so not so available...

I'm so grateful for you even taking time to read all this. Obviously I'm a newbie. PS: That's Tally on my shoulder in my bio pic.

 

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

Oh that's really kind of you! Many thanks for the welcome! There's soooo much to learn. I'm grateful for the support and encouragement. Have a great day.

 

[007Sean]

Oh that's really kind of you! Many thanks for the welcome! There's soooo much to learn. I'm grateful for the support and encouragement. Have a great day.

I'd take her to vet....if possible?

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh you're so kind to reply quickly! It was your article about nail trimming I found earlier today - soooo helpful. We do have lots of room for them and they free range during the day. We have 6 hens (5 mature, one not yet laying.) Originally got bad advice and only got 3 gals in the beginning to go with our "stray" rooster Henny Penny that adopted us. We tried to add 4 more ladies in June but one of them ended up being a cockerel which we managed to re-home after LOTS of effort. Based on feedback here, we kept Henny Penny since he's a great defender and re-homed "Conchita" the sweet White Faced Black Spanish cockerel. This is Henny Penny's first mating season, and folks here said he'll calm down with time...?

Tally's been the top of the pecking order and submitted to Henny all along vs. being chased around the yard like the others. So, it's unclear why he's pecking at her head and being rough with her now.

I'm wondering if a vet visit would be in order for Tally (Barred Plymouth Rock.) The past couple of weeks we've seen Henny bully her a couple of times, and as you can see in the photo, she's lost feathers on her head in addition to a growing patch on her back. Others have back bald spots but their heads are fine. About a week ago she laid a soft egg. We had a few soft eggs earlier in the summer when it was sweltering, but the weather's been pleasant the past couple of weeks. She's laid a couple of normal ones since, and then no egg for 4 days - unusual for her.

Thursday she was droopy with tail down and tried that night to roost in the small coop where the young gals sleep instead of the one with Henny (rooster) and other 2 gals her age. They shooed her out and she went back over to the "big people."

Since she was droopy Friday, I did some reading here, then around 6 pm palpated her crop and it seemed fine, gave her 600 mg of Calcium Citrate and put her in a crate by herself. Offered her electrolyte water, scrambled egg and regular feed, but she didn't eat. Had diarrhea overnight.

She seemed perky again yesterday (Saturday) morning so we let her out to free range with flock. When we gave everyone treats yesterday afternoon, Henny pecked at Tally when she reached for some. Last night she slept on a perching bar outside of enclosed sleeping area vs with Henny and other gals her age and had diahhrea.

Note: we've seen her eat some things that might cause tummy upset?? like an unlucky vole or mole about a week ago.

This morning (Sunday) we saw Henny be rough with her in the run before we let them out to free range. So, I gave Tally another 600 mg of Calcium Citrate and put her in the crate. She drank quite a bit of electrolyte water. Also left her a bit of yogurt and some regular feed. Came back a couple of hours later and she hadn't touched the yogurt but greedily ate 1/3 of a scrambled egg.

An hour later I checked in she'd thrown up, but again greedily ate another 1/3 of a scrambled egg. I checked again just now (1.5 hrs since last time) and she’d thrown up the second bit of eggs. I offered her a tiny bit more egg which she again ate greedily. She’s drinking electrolyte water (Flock Fixer by Strong Animals) Appetite is good but throwing up is troubling. What now?

Would you take her to the vet? Or take a stool sample? I found one who specializes in poultry, but of course don't want to unnecessarily traumatize Tally... and the cost is an issue. But they're pets vs. livestock for us and we want to care for them as such. Vet's closed on Sundays but I could call in the morning if necessary?

If she's doing better tomorrow, the crate's in separate fenced area we could keep Tally in for a few days where everyone could see each other, and then put back in the crate at night. Before putting back out with the whole gang, trim Henny's nails and blunt his spurs. Put a saddle on her.

If she's not better in the morning, vet? What would you do?

I have to go out of town for 3 days starting Wednesday morning so really want this sorted before. I work at home, so check on the flock regularly, my husband is only here when he gets back from work so not so available...

I'm so grateful for you even taking time to read all this. Obviously I'm a newbie. PS: That's Tally on my shoulder in my bio pic.

Sounds like she may be having some sort of laying issues, either a stuck egg or possibly an oviduct infection. Can you take her to a vet that knows chickens or birds? You might also start a thread in our Emergency forums too... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.10/ I hope she's OK!

 

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

Sounds like she may be having some sort of laying issues, either a stuck egg or possibly an oviduct infection. Can you take her to a vet that knows chickens or birds? You might also start a thread in our Emergency forums too... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.10/ I hope she's OK!

Thank you! I will reach out to vet first thing in the morning! There's one that treats chickens not too far away if she can work us in.

 

[TwoCrows]

Thank you! I will reach out to vet first thing in the morning! There's one that treats chickens not too far away if she can work us in.

Keep us posted!

 

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

Keep us posted!

I will - thank you so much! I did post on the emergency thread you shared. I've had one reply and they wonder if it's a crop issue and not to bother with a vet since they don't know how to treat chickens - I specifically researched one that specializes in poultry. I can't feel Tally's crop...though maybe I'm feeling in the wrong place - I did watch some videos to help locate it. And she hasn't laid in 4 days, so I'm still leaning toward calling the vet in the morning.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I will - thank you so much! I did post on the emergency thread you shared. I've had one reply and they wonder if it's a crop issue and not to bother with a vet since they don't know how to treat chickens - I specifically researched one that specializes in poultry. I can't feel Tally's crop...though maybe I'm feeling in the wrong place - I did watch some videos to help locate it. And she hasn't laid in 4 days, so I'm still leaning toward calling the vet in the morning.

If you can afford it, I would probably call the vet.