How to care for hunchback pullet

[HeatherKellyB]

That photo is from a couple of weeks ago. I will post an updated one showing the neck feathers later today.

Well, new pics not necessary. She's good!

 

[goats-n-oats]

OP, do you have any other cockerels or roosters?

Yes, I have a bunch. Too many. I just butchered 4, and removed another 3 from the coop. have 8 left in the coop with 45 hens.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Apologies, in the above photo, the tail feathers are missing. S/he would sit on the ground a lot and the dirt and moisture melted off the tail feathers

 

[Painted Calls]

Yes, I have a bunch. Too many. I just butchered 4, and removed another 3 from the coop. have 8 left in the coop with 45 hens.

This may be the reason for his behavior.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Hi again, even the pullets are tormenting this poor guy. I put him in a cage with an injured pullet, and found him cowering in the corner when I got home. He can't seem to catch a break. Is it worth maintaining him? I have 100+ animals and although I feel for him, I try to keep the number of feeding stations as low as possible. I tried posting 'special needs hen' on craigslist a few weeks ago, (when I thought he was a hen) with no takers. Is there any benefit to keeping him in the stock tank with newly hatched chicks, like their chaperone?

 

[Painted Calls]

Hi again, even the pullets are tormenting this poor guy. I put him in a cage with an injured pullet, and found him cowering in the corner when I got home. He can't seem to catch a break. Is it worth maintaining him? I have 100+ animals and although I feel for him, I try to keep the number of feeding stations as low as possible. I tried posting 'special needs hen' on craigslist a few weeks ago, (when I thought he was a hen) with no takers. Is there any benefit to keeping him in the stock tank with newly hatched chicks, like their chaperone?

Putting him in with chicks is a bad idea. It sounds to me like you've got way too many birds in too small of an area. Can you post pics of your setup?

 

[gimmie birdies]

My rooster Quazzy was hatched late with a bad leg. He was getting trampled by other birds. His leg was to the point where you could not put a hobble on it. I kept him separate for a week or so then after buy some new hatched chicks from the feed store. I put him in with the new chicks. They were getting their sea legs, and so was he. He ended up curing his own leg.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

If you decide to keep him with the chicks I'd seriously consider having a hardware cloth wall so he doesn't attack the chicks, at the very least. He can still see them but can't really get to them. All it'd take is a hard peck to a chicks head. That's a scary situation everyway you look at it. I understand you wanting to give him a chance, but I wouldn't jeopardize chicks.

 

[goats-n-oats]

If you decide to keep him with the chicks I'd seriously consider having a hardware cloth wall so he doesn't attack the chicks, at the very least. He can still see them but can't really get to them. All it'd take is a hard peck to a chicks head. That's a scary situation everyway you look at it. I understand you wanting to give him a chance, but I wouldn't jeopardize chicks.

Ok, thanks for the headsup.

 

[Isadora]

Hi again, even the pullets are tormenting this poor guy. I put him in a cage with an injured pullet, and found him cowering in the corner when I got home. He can't seem to catch a break. Is it worth maintaining him? I have 100+ animals and although I feel for him, I try to keep the number of feeding stations as low as possible. I tried posting 'special needs hen' on craigslist a few weeks ago, (when I thought he was a hen) with no takers. Is there any benefit to keeping him in the stock tank with newly hatched chicks, like their chaperone?

Personally I would cull this bird. It sounds like you have enough on your plate.