Pecked rooster

[tsperry88]

My 20 something weed old Welsummer rooster had some minor pecked feathers at the base of his tail. I put a hen saddle on him that barely covers the pecked area. I'll buy some no peck ointment tomorrow. Open to suggestions Hopefully it works itself out.


He is is the only rooster with 15 hens and a 650 sq ft run. Lots of logs and branches to play on. Really nice weather the last few days so they have been outside unless laying. No reason I can think of other than chickens are crazy. The dude will literally do the dance and mate with the hens and then get pecked until he bleeds.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Do you know who is pecking him specifically? Sometimes chickens are just bullies. If it's one or two of the hens, I'd remove them from the flock for a week or so then reintroduce them so they'll be at the bottom of the pecking order.

 

[mommiesrcool]

Do you know who is pecking him specifically? Sometimes chickens are just bullies. If it's one or two of the hens, I'd remove them from the flock for a week or so then reintroduce them so they'll be at the bottom of the pecking order.

X2

 

[tsperry88]

I have seen one of the Welsummer hens pecking him. His kinfolk. I didn't get a good chance to watch them today when most of the damage occured. I don't have a good way to separate them other than small enclosures which they really hate. I'm hoping the saddle helps.

 

[tsperry88]

I have fence and could fence a corner of the run I guess.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

I have seen one of the Welsummer hens pecking him. His kinfolk. I didn't get a good chance to watch them today when most of the damage occured. I don't have a good way to separate them other than small enclosures which they really hate. I'm hoping the saddle helps.

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I have a dog crate that I call 'The Bully Cage'. If anybody gets extra feisty and harasses to the point of injury, they go in the cage for a week to knock them down a few pegs. How they feel is honestly irrelevant as long as you can keep food and water in there for them.

 

[azygous]

Five months is awfully young to have to deal with such a large harem of hens. He's very likely feeling overwhelmed. It would help him if you would give him a smaller world to deal with for the time being.

By that I mean to segregate him in an enclosure within the run and within sight of all the hens. But he will be safe from any ganging up from the hens. Often, older hens will be kind of rough with a young cockerel, and he needs time and space and safety to develop his self confidence. He won't be fully mature until he's at least a year old. So give him the next six months to grow into his role gradually by limiting his exposure to the hens.

I would give him a couple of days alone in the enclosure during the day, then slowly introduce a couple of the youngest point-of-lay pullets, forget the oldest hens for now, to keep him company for an hour a day, just brief visits. You can rotate different ones so he gets to know them all. He can roost with the hens at night with little danger of being molested.

Self confidence doesn't automatically get bestowed on a cockerel just because he's reached the mating age. Depending on temperament, a gradual process of being exposed to the youngest hens first, and later, closer to his one-year maturity, the oldest hens is best for him. By that time, he will most likely know how to handle himself with them and be more confident in his role as flock protector.

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

My 20 something weed old Welsummer rooster had some minor pecked feathers at the base of his tail. I put a hen saddle on him that barely covers the pecked area. I'll buy some no peck ointment tomorrow. Open to suggestions Hopefully it works itself out.


He is is the only rooster with 15 hens and a 650 sq ft run. Lots of logs and branches to play on. Really nice weather the last few days so they have been outside unless laying. No reason I can think of other than chickens are crazy. The dude will literally do the dance and mate with the hens and then get pecked until he bleeds.

Could you post a picture if one isn't already posted?

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

Five months is awfully young to have to deal with such a large harem of hens. He's very likely feeling overwhelmed. It would help him if you would give him a smaller world to deal with for the time being.

By that I mean to segregate him in an enclosure within the run and within sight of all the hens. But he will be safe from any ganging up from the hens. Often, older hens will be kind of rough with a young cockerel, and he needs time and space and safety to develop his self confidence. He won't be fully mature until he's at least a year old. So give him the next six months to grow into his role gradually by limiting his exposure to the hens.

I would give him a couple of days alone in the enclosure during the day, then slowly introduce a couple of the youngest point-of-lay pullets, forget the oldest hens for now, to keep him company for an hour a day, just brief visits. You can rotate different ones so he gets to know them all. He can roost with the hens at night with little danger of being molested.

Self confidence doesn't automatically get bestowed on a cockerel just because he's reached the mating age. Depending on temperament, a gradual process of being exposed to the youngest hens first, and later, closer to his one-year maturity, the oldest hens is best for him. By that time, he will most likely know how to handle himself with them and be more confident in his role as flock protector.

Spoken like a true chicken expert!

 

[tsperry88]

Attached is the only photo I have. It was this evening when I brought him in to put the saddle on. The bare spot goes under the wing and was lightly bleeding. The photo makes him look small, but he is larger than any hen I have.

It seems like the pecking is more just because it's a spot to peck. It actually happened to a lesser degree when he and his age group was separated from the flock 3 months or so back. Merging the flocks was enough newness to keep them occupied while it healed up.