Need Rooster Help!! Hen is badly injured!

[Qualien]

Out of curiosity, where did you get your Cockerel? I had 3 that I got from tractor supply, as soon as they started crowing (1-2 days, they were supposed to all be pullets) two fought each other bloody, and the last ripped the toungue out of one of my most submissive hens. I'm wondering if It's a genetic thing.

 

[Folly's place]

Some breeds and family lines tend to have more aggressive individuals than others, so yes, there's genetics involved. There are both nice and nasty individuals in (nearly) every breed, and management also matters. It's not totally one or the other!
Breeders can select for different traits; some ignore behavior, for example. Many/most ignore longevity, only breeding birds who are one to two years of age, max. Some only care about egg production, some only care about pretty looks.
Trying to breed for the 'whole package' is tricky, and what makes it interesting! I have absolute rule-outs, and bad temperament is #1!
Mary
Mary

 

[ktomacie]

By reading the thread it sounds like you made up your mind.. keep the rooster and get rid of the injured hen. Instead of trying to heal her up just end it and have a good meal. Be aware that once you get rid of the roosters target bird he might decide that one of the others is a good replacement target though.

 

[Folly's place]

This hen is injured and not really dinner material right now!
Mary

 

[Masers]

Out of curiosity, where did you get your Cockerel? I had 3 that I got from tractor supply, as soon as they started crowing (1-2 days, they were supposed to all be pullets) two fought each other bloody, and the last ripped the toungue out of one of my most submissive hens. I'm wondering if It's a genetic thing.

We actually got fertile eggs. One of our two hens was brooding last summer, and we thought it would be fun to do chicks. Three hatched, two survived, one rooster and one hen. It bums me out, because he was initially non-aggressive to all the hens. Wish he hadn’t turned on one of them, and I don’t know why he did.

 

[Masers]

Some breeds and family lines tend to have more aggressive individuals than others, so yes, there's genetics involved. There are both nice and nasty individuals in (nearly) every breed, and management also matters. It's not totally one or the other!
Breeders can select for different traits; some ignore behavior, for example. Many/most ignore longevity, only breeding birds who are one to two years of age, max. Some only care about egg production, some only care about pretty looks.
Trying to breed for the 'whole package' is tricky, and what makes it interesting! I have absolute rule-outs, and bad temperament is #1!
Mary
Mary

Thanks. I mainly care about temperament, too!

 

[Masers]

By reading the thread it sounds like you made up your mind.. keep the rooster and get rid of the injured hen. Instead of trying to heal her up just end it and have a good meal. Be aware that once you get rid of the roosters target bird he might decide that one of the others is a good replacement target though.

Hahah I would never eat one of our chickens. I know I always see people saying that, but I could never. I don’t necessarily consider them “pets”—but almost! I feel a lot of guilt over one of them being badly injured on our watch, and also a lot of guilt over getting rid of the rooster. And I don’t even know what to do with the rooster if I can’t find someone to take him...I really DON’T want him to be eaten, if I can help it!

 

[Masers]

This hen is injured and not really dinner material right now!
Mary

Yes, and eating one of our chickens just really isn’t an option for us, period. I’m basically a vegan. Ha. (i WOULD eat their eggs, but happen to have an egg allergy! The rest of my family eats them!)