First separated him as other chickens will pack at his wounds
I’m afraid that even if I separate him, once healed, they will go back to pecking at him. Is there anything I can put on it to discourage the pecking?
No, don't separate him.. If you do.. expect the fight to escalate when he returns.
I have three boys ,one is a bantam, and 41 females. I notice the old guy ( the bantam) chasing the young boys but nothing serious. I think it’s just that his Dwayne the Rock’s wattles and comb are just so big and red and they bleed terrible when punctures. My coop is 8x14 and my run is 9x24. My birds have access to both all day.No, don't separate him.. If you do.. expect the fight to escalate when he returns.
By your description it sounds as though she was "tending" the wound. My hens do this for my roosters.. and can sometimes slow the healing process... but doesn't seem to be harmful anymore than picking a scab.
Small battles happen. Scabs happen. Sometimes they get inspected (pecked) for looking like a bug and on occasion MAY lead to tasty blood being discovered. I have never YET in 10+ years of keeping chickens including a stag pen with more than 25 cockerels/roosters in it.. faced true cannibalistic behavior.
Provide plenty of space with no dead ends to be cornered in, set up extra feeders if needed, add in visual barriers that block the direct line of sight, Add in other enrichment that take focus off of each other... like a hanging corn on the cob or head of cabbage to jump at for example. Human intervention does not change pecking order.. and sometimes only prolongs the inevitable but adequate resources to allow for dynamics can have serious impact on the harshness of it.
Sounds like your cockerel ratio is maybe more than desirable.. I prefer to give suggestions based on YOUR long term goals in accordance with your resources.. But current consideration would be make a stag pen, eat some cockerels, re-home some boys, compost them.. or leave it be and see what plays out.. What are your numbers.. How many m/f birds in how much space, planning to hatch more, eat any, save them all?
Surface wounds from cockerel battles are most often of little to no concern and it doesn't sound serious. But if you're worried please post photos.
Hope your boys work it out and your gals are none the worse for wear. Pecking order hormonal teenage antics are a temporary frustration. But a peaceful flock is a happy keeper!
They all seem to get along fairly peacefully with the exception of a few young male hormones.
I would separate if the wounds become worse or if there is a lot of fighting, other wise I would keep all of them together.No, don't separate him.. If you do.. expect the fight to escalate when he returns.
By your description it sounds as though she was "tending" the wound. My hens do this for my roosters.. and can sometimes slow the healing process... but doesn't seem to be harmful anymore than picking a scab.
Small battles happen. Scabs happen. Sometimes they get inspected (pecked) for looking like a bug and on occasion MAY lead to tasty blood being discovered. I have never YET in 10+ years of keeping chickens including a stag pen with more than 25 cockerels/roosters in it.. faced true cannibalistic behavior.
Provide plenty of space with no dead ends to be cornered in, set up extra feeders if needed, add in visual barriers that block the direct line of sight, Add in other enrichment that take focus off of each other... like a hanging corn on the cob or head of cabbage to jump at for example. Human intervention does not change pecking order.. and sometimes only prolongs the inevitable but adequate resources to allow for dynamics can have serious impact on the harshness of it.
Sounds like your cockerel ratio is maybe more than desirable.. I prefer to give suggestions based on YOUR long term goals in accordance with your resources.. But current consideration would be make a stag pen, eat some cockerels, re-home some boys, compost them.. or leave it be and see what plays out.. What are your numbers.. How many m/f birds in how much space, planning to hatch more, eat any, save them all?
Surface wounds from cockerel battles are most often of little to no concern and it doesn't sound serious. But if you're worried please post photos.
Hope your boys work it out and your gals are none the worse for wear. Pecking order hormonal teenage antics are a temporary frustration. But a peaceful flock is a happy keeper!
I’m honestly not worried about the fighting. I have had more than one rooster before and they got along once they established their places. I just wonder what I can do so the bread of the bleeding and his wattles and comb aren’t so attractive.
Personally I haven’t ever used any thing to deter chickens from pecking each other but have heard of people using toothpaste or blue kote
