Our Roo is getting beat up - by the ladies....

[spies04]

Hi - we have a roo who is continually getting picked on by the hens. I wonder if this is where the saying came from - hen pecked started

. They are continually poking him and now they have started to pull out his feathers where he is starting to bleed. He just runs around screaming worse than a little girl. Wondering if anyone has experienced this. They do not do this to our other guy? Thanks!

 

[Makomd]

Is he younger then the hens? If so they will peck and pick as they are pushing him to the bottom of the pecking order. If he is not the man of the pen and another rooster is presently "the man" he has to find his place in the pecking order.

I have seen this in my pens and if he is younger, he will need to earn their respect and it comes with time.

 

[spies04]

No, actually that is the funny thing. They are all close to the same age and it is the same flock we got him with that are picking on him. The old ladies leave him alone and give him a funny look when he is running around screaming. He tries to be tough once in a great while but our other rooster gives him the "look" and he completely backs off.

Is there anything I can put on his feathers or his hind area to keep them away other than the blue which can get messy. Plus they have caused him to bleed in some areas so I do not want to cause an infection.