Injury from rooster mating aggressive with EE's.

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

Recently the rooster, which will be culled tomorrow night, has started getting way too aggressive with the Easter Eggers when mating (and more aggressive in general with us as well). All the EE's are getting hurt in the same spot in the middle of the back just before the tail. One to the point I just bought a dog crate on the way home and she's here in the basement with me now. He drew blood and the others focused on it today and picked an area clear about the size of a 50 cent piece. She's not bleeding now and doesn have any deep wounds, it was all superficial and feathers picked off. The blood has scabbed, so now I have a choice between three spur of the moment purchases at Tractor Supply to apply tomorrow as soon as I get home from work. I grabbed a bottle of Vetericyn Plus (needed right now or not, I'm sure we will eventually), Pick-No-More, and Hen Healer. Reading some of the posts by seasoned keepers, it appears the Hen Healer and Pick-No-More may not really deter picking. I would post some pics but she is finally calmed down and sleeping at the moment.

My questions are:
1. At what point in the healing do I put her back in the coop?
2. What is the best choice to apply to the area for healing?
3. Is there another method I can use to apply treatment and get her back in the coop quick to avoid them establishing pecking order again. I've read some posts about saddles and wondered how many use this with good results.

I was hoping the Hen Healer would do what it says, but since others have not had good luck with it and considering a really bad cold snap coming (negative temps in two days)... she's staying in here with us until I feel confident in my choices. The other two EE's have some broken feathers but no wounds.

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

I would keep her in the crate until her back heals and looks more comfortable. I have three hen saddles for mine, but I have not needed them yet. I would recommend a hen saddle to keep bugs off of the wound. I would try the meds that you have, but Blu-Kote is very good for keeping hens from picking at stuff. Chickens are attracted to the color red, and so Blu-Kote keeps them away from the wound. Please post pictures of the wound on the hen.

 

[CloneFly]

The blue stuff works pretty well. Not sure what it's called, (we call it blue goop lol) it also helps prevent scarring

 

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

I would keep her in the crate until her back heals and looks more comfortable. I have three hen saddles for mine, but I have not needed them yet. I would recommend a hen saddle to keep bugs off of the wound. I would try the meds that you have, but Blu-Kote is very good for keeping hens from picking at stuff. Chickens are attracted to the color red, and so Blu-Kote keeps them away from the wound. Please post pictures of the wound on the hen.

The Hen Healer is bright blue in color... I guess the same as Blu-Kote. All they had available in the Blu-kote line was equine. I will post some pics as soon as I get home tomorrow. Wife and daughter are going to tend to her needs with water and food during the day until we decide the best course of action. It's really just an area of a 50 cent piece with feathers missing and dots of scabs now. I'm learning here. May need to pluck what is left of a couple feathers and trying to find the info on that right now. She has two in this area that are still attached with no feather anymore.

The question I can't seem to find the answer to is, how healed does she need to be? Feathers grown back? Or should I use a saddle and treatment and get her back in now?

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

The Hen Healer is bright blue in color... I guess the same as Blu-Kote. All they had available in the Blu-kote line was equine. I will post some pics as soon as I get home tomorrow. Wife and daughter are going to tend to her needs with water and food during the day until we decide the best course of action. It's really just an area of a 50 cent piece with feathers missing and dots of scabs now. I'm learning here. May need to pluck what is left of a couple feathers and trying to find the info on that right now. She has two in this area that are still attached with no feather anymore.

The question I can't seem to find the answer to is, how healed does she need to be? Feathers grown back? Or should I use a saddle and treatment and get her back in now?

Sorry! I just saw this... I would use a saddle. I would put Vetericyn Plus on the wound, and then spray Blu-Kote on top of it. After a few days I would put her out. I know that this is probably not helpful now... I have been very busy keeping my chickens safe from the cold, and I have had company over for the holidays. I hope that your hen is okay. Best of luck to her!

 

[-Isla June-]

i have this same problem, over time the attacking and pecking has stopped after i used the goop.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

The question I can't seem to find the answer to is, how healed does she need to be? Feathers grown back? Or should I use a saddle and treatment and get her back in now?

Number one... The equine Blu-Kote is the same as others. That is how it is at my TSC. I would out the hen in once the scab is healed, although putting her in when her feathers are back wouldn't hurt.

 

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

Ended up with two birds with small spots on their back just before the tail that were pecked, but they had scabbed over well and I had applied Hen-Healer to both. Was a result of both rooster injury and then birds focusing on it, especially when I had penned them up to save them from the cold snap. I was able to put them all back in the coop/run and so far they are leaving each other alone. We ended up culling the rooster more for his aggression toward us than anything. It's amazing how different the hens act now. All of them (except the EE's) are right there if you walk in the run now wanting attention. Some of it is comical. One of the RIR's will actually keep bouncing up and nipping your hand until you pick her up. Never did that before when the rooster was present. My wife and daughter enjoy going out there now without having to watch out for him attacking them.

 

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

Number one... The equine Blu-Kote is the same as others. That is how it is at my TSC. I would out the hen in once the scab is healed, although putting her in when her feathers are back wouldn't hurt.

I wondered about this when I saw it on the shelf. Wonder why they don't just market it for both and save on the packaging?

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

Ended up with two birds with small spots on their back just before the tail that were pecked, but they had scabbed over well and I had applied Hen-Healer to both. Was a result of both rooster injury and then birds focusing on it, especially when I had penned them up to save them from the cold snap. I was able to put them all back in the coop/run and so far they are leaving each other alone. We ended up culling the rooster more for his aggression toward us than anything. It's amazing how different the hens act now. All of them (except the EE's) are right there if you walk in the run now wanting attention. Some of it is comical. One of the RIR's will actually keep bouncing up and nipping your hand until you pick her up. Never did that before when the rooster was present. My wife and daughter enjoy going out there now without having to watch out for him attacking them.

My RIR jumps up for mealworms! I will hold a mealworm out, and she leaps up to grab it. Chickens are very funny with their personalities!