Oh my poor rooster... I feel so bad

[ladybug99]

I went out to visit with the chickens on this glorious day only to find all 23 of them huddled in a pile on top of one of my roosters. the poor guy had gotten frost bite over the winter and had a pretty beaten up comb, apparently the scabs started to come off and all the gals decided they would make a tasty treat... I have never seen a group of chickens pick on another in such a cruel way. I was able to just go over and pick him up.. poor guy looks as if he was scalped, he has no open wounds but the top of his head has no feathers and he looks to have a clear sugar glaze over his comb and top of his head. There is no blood but he is very lethargic.

He is safe warm and resting comfortably. I was going to let him rest a bit before I try to get him to eat or drink any thing. I have some antibiotics for his water and I am going to try and get him to eat some scrambled eggs and yogurt. He is still in the coop but in a nice big dog crate, so no one can get near him at this time. I was treating his comb with blue coat but is there anything else I can treat it with? He is not the friendliest guy so we usually have to go in after dark... I was thinking some Neosporin with no pain reliever. He is a year old Welsummer , very healthy until now. I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks

 

[Mtn Margie]

That is what I would do. Give him a bit of time and see if he perks up. If he doesn't, then there is an underlying cause, perhaps infection or something, that caused him to go down and then the others just took advantage of the situation, as chickens can do.

 

[Imachickenmama]

Poor guy.

 

[Suzie]

I really feel for you and do so hope he makes a full recovery.. it is an awful shock to see what chickens can do to one another when one of them is debilitated... one of mine had her backside pecked out and another had her head peck almost off... both died.

All of my chickens free range during daylight hours and have plenty of room in their roost.. I can only surmise that the chickens in question were ill at the time.

Good luck with your boy!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

This is the reason that I advocate that every straight comb rooster in a cold area be dubbed or have his comb and wattles cut completely off.

A roosters comb is very subject to frost bite damage and once that happens the frozen tissue dies. This leaves the poor roo with a heads worth of necrotic tissue.

Cannibalism in chickens takes many forms, and the cluster feed you reported is just one of these forms of cannibalism. I hope he hasn't already gotten blood poisoning from his frozen comb. All the septic bacteria in his blood system likely rendered him unrecognizable on the hormonal level as a rooster and the rest of the flock only acted in accordance with their nature by turning on the weakest member of the flock. Keep us posted on his condition and the outcome.

 

[ladybug99]

I just went out and checked up on him and he is not doing very well, he won't eat or drink, just resting quietly. He was fine this morning he ate drank and even was mounting the girls. He was almost healed from the frost bite... he did lose half his comb to it, but was treated with antibiotics for several weeks for it. I think there is something else going on with him as he went down so fast. I am wondering if he got into a fight with the other rooster or a hawk and was the loser and every one just jumped on the band wagon and started to attack him. Yes it was very unsettling to see all his ladies going after his head. If he doesn't improve I will put him out of his misery.

 

[ladybug99]

He has made it thru the night! he was up eating and drinking this morning and he let out a weak crow. His head looks much better, I can now see his comb is cut on it, so maybe he hurt himself an became weak and the others started picking on him. I am going to keep him isolated till he heals.

 

[Suzie]

Thanks for updating... you and he have been on my mind....I hope he keeps recovering in leaps and bounds!