Injured roo ripped out tail feathers

[chickens really]

Thanks. I was planning on giving them some peas tonight. The feed store I go to didn't have anything over 16%, but I'll check out others in the area to see if they might have higher protein content. I've been thinking about getting rid of the leghorn. He's rather aggressive and when I went to check on him today he kept coming at me. I've tried rehomeing, but no one wanted him (not really surprised) so I think he's going to get a one way trip to the freezer. Kids are upset, but there's nothing else I can do at this point. He's not getting any nicer... My fault, really, b/c I did just about every single thing you're not supposed to do w/ a roo... Next time we'll do better.

16% is too low for the breeds you have ....18 to 21 is better...Put on a grower feed with oyster shell out in a separate bowl...Also cut back on any scraps/treats to once a week..

 

[apryl29]

I have oyster shell out in a bowl already and I've been adding their own crushed up shells too. Thanks for the info. I'll get that when I buy my next bag. I was going to get the flock raiser kind last time, but they only had it in crumble, no pellets. I kind of liked the pellets since they seemed to waste less. I'd read that peas are protein so that why I'd given them peas in the past.

 

[abraga]

I'm fortunate as I free range a lot of my chickens..however I do have tiny malaysian seramas and cemanis I keep in coops w/a run. I feed grower and offer oyster grit, chick grit, mealworms, chopped boiled eggs and various greens. My birds are pretty active and i have various ages..so this seems to work best for me.

 

[Phrixyys]

Might want to keep him inside for a while (obviously), to make sure nothing else happens to him. Best of luck with your lil roo

 

[apryl29]

I'm fortunate as I free range a lot of my chickens..however I do have tiny malaysian seramas and cemanis I keep in coops w/a run. I feed grower and offer oyster grit, chick grit, mealworms, chopped boiled eggs and various greens. My birds are pretty active and i have various ages..so this seems to work best for me.

Unfortunately my chickens live at my parent's house so we go there after I get out of work and let them wander around a bit most days. The problem with this is instead of waiting until it gets dark and they go inside on their own, I have to herd them all back into the coop when I want to go home. I try to give them an hour a day. In the beginning I was letting them out to wander unsupervised, but then a coyote got one of them. Now we try to make sure someone is out there w/ them at all times. Not so difficult when there's stuff to do outside, but harder when I just want to go home. Oddly enough, I noticed that while the rooster was separated and unable to forage w/ them, the females didn't wander off quite as far.

Might want to keep him inside for a while (obviously), to make sure nothing else happens to him. Best of luck with your lil roo

Thanks! Hopefully they stop pecking at his tail, it's all healed up, they just won't leave him alone. Whenever I try to get them away from him he thinks I'm coming after him.

 

[Robert G]

Hi apryl29. I know this post is from 2017, but the exact same thing happened to my white leghorn roo. I got home and when I went to let my chickens out to free range I noticed his tail feathers were covered in blood. No one was pecking at him and he was acting normal (crowing, mating, running, eating, etc). I didn't want to mess with him because I thought it would hurt him. What is blukote and where do you get it. I've never had a hen/roo that had blood coming out. I'm also curious how it could happen. I haven't separated him because last time I did he got all bloody from his comb. He was brushing it against the wire mesh trying to get out to go to his girls.

 

[abraga]

Hi apryl29. I know this post is from 2017, but the exact same thing happened to my white leghorn roo. I got home and when I went to let my chickens out to free range I noticed his tail feathers were covered in blood. No one was pecking at him and he was acting normal (crowing, mating, running, eating, etc). I didn't want to mess with him because I thought it would hurt him. What is blukote and where do you get it. I've never had a hen/roo that had blood coming out. I'm also curious how it could happen. I haven't separated him because last time I did he got all bloody from his comb. He was brushing it against the wire mesh trying to get out to go to his girls.

Blood feathers are immature feathers,( new growth) sometimes..particularly at moult they will have more than usual. They are incased in a sheath w/blood supply that look like little plastic straws. They can break easy..if a bird smashes them by jumping from perches or hitting against the side of a cage...even mating. U can pull out the broken feather. Blue kote is found at stores that sell livestock supplies. It's a very pretty violet blue color. It's good for wounds on chickens as other chickens will pick/canabalize a chicken when they see blood and blue coat helps prevent that. Blue kote will due ur hands/clothing! You can also use an ointment. I keep triple antibiotic ointment on hand for little boo boos. There is a horse ointment " furazone" comes in a big jar works good to. U can get those on Amazon to. Chickens that r confined are more likely to pick at each other. Anytime u have a bird that has a wound they are suseptical to being pecked to death/eatin by the others. Blood brings the cannibal out in them, which is why blue k ote is best to use when they are confined. If u are free ranging it is not as much of an issue.

 

[apryl29]

Hi apryl29. I know this post is from 2017, but the exact same thing happened to my white leghorn roo. I got home and when I went to let my chickens out to free range I noticed his tail feathers were covered in blood. No one was pecking at him and he was acting normal (crowing, mating, running, eating, etc). I didn't want to mess with him because I thought it would hurt him. What is blukote and where do you get it. I've never had a hen/roo that had blood coming out. I'm also curious how it could happen. I haven't separated him because last time I did he got all bloody from his comb. He was brushing it against the wire mesh trying to get out to go to his girls.

Everything @abraga said. I would get the blu-kote w/ the dauber, not the aerosol. It gets all over the place and was much more difficult to control. The dauber was much easier to use and get a good coating. It is going to stain his feathers.
I never found out what started the original problem. He did end up w/ a bloody tail again later, but I know it was from my pullets pecking at his tail that time.
I wouldn't separate him unless you see them pecking at his feathers. My amberlink pullets are very pecky. I actually keep my leghorn separated from them unless they're ranging b/c even though he's been healed for a while and his tail feathers have grown in, they keep going after his tail feathers, comb, and wattles.
I hope your guy heals quickly.

 

[mountaingirl196]

If you can separate your injured bird until he/she is fully recovered you'll have less likelihood for an aggressor to start the cycle over again. They peck like crazy at any sight of blood. I keep an injured bird separated until the scab has healed over and fallen off.

I find Vetracyclin to be very effective in promoting quick wound recovery. Widely available where pet supplies are sold, including (around here) on the pet aisle of the grocery store.

 

[Robert G]

Everything @abraga said. I would get the blu-kote w/ the dauber, not the aerosol. It gets all over the place and was much more difficult to control. The dauber was much easier to use and get a good coating. It is going to stain his feathers.
I never found out what started the original problem. He did end up w/ a bloody tail again later, but I know it was from my pullets pecking at his tail that time.
I wouldn't separate him unless you see them pecking at his feathers. My amberlink pullets are very pecky. I actually keep my leghorn separated from them unless they're ranging b/c even though he's been healed for a while and his tail feathers have grown in, they keep going after his tail feathers, comb, and wattles.
I hope your guy heals quickly.

Thank you all for the support and replies. I haven't had a chance to rinse his tail end to see the damage because the weather got down to the 40s and didn't want him to get wet. The weather is supposed to warm up this weekend so I can assess his blood feathers. None of the chickens have pecked at him.