Pecking Injuries

[Apis mellifera]

How old is this rooster? Personally, I would not have a rooster that lacked gentlemanly attributes.

There's another thread just like this one. To me it's not the roosters fault but his diet that's causing cannibalism. Almost all feeds today are plant protein based.

 

[lagrange chicks]

There's another thread just like this one. To me it's not the roosters fault but his diet that's causing cannibalism. Almost all feeds today are plant protein based.

My adopted Cornish Cross, Lucy Loose, is being attacked regularly by our newly acquired rooster, Colburn. He pecks at her head whenever he can get at her till she is bleeding and continues until one of us breaks it up or she somehow gets away from him. Whenever I break it up, I quarantine her in the coop for the remainder of the day.
Today, my daughter had to break it up as I am away from the house. Apparently he got at her pretty good. (See photos)View attachment 3670725View attachment 3670726
How do I clean her up and treat these wounds as well as prevent him from attacking her in the future?

I had the same problem except all my pullets and cockerel are the same age. The pullet that was attacked by the cockerel was the only white bird besides the cockerel. I had seen him a few times standing on her picking at her head but never saw any blood or swelling on the pullet. Fast forward a month later (2 weeks ago today) I see him twice standing on her pecking her head and then see her stuffed in the corner of the run hiding her head, when I inspected her I saw a swelled head and blood in one nostril, I culled the cockerel that afternoon. He was so good to his bared rock girls but for some reason did not like the white pullet which was low in pecking order. What I remember raising these chickens is the cockerel never liked this pullet even from a couple weeks old. Hope you get peace in your flock.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

There's another thread just like this one. To me it's not the roosters fault but his diet that's causing cannibalism. Almost all feeds today are plant protein based.

Feed does not dictate certain attributes. My neighbor doesn't give her chickens any feed, ever, they are to live off of what they forage, and I've never seen one of her multiple roos attack a hen like that

 

[Apis mellifera]

Feed does not dictate certain attributes. My neighbor doesn't give her chickens any feed, ever, they are to live off of what they forage, and I've never seen one of her multiple roos attack a hen like that

Thats because her chickens (like mine) are getting meat proteins from foraging. Voles, mice, frogs, and insects are some of the things on the foraging menu. In the winter I supplement meat proteins.

 

[Birdoma]

Oh my gosh that looks like a horror movie!!! If I found one of my girls like that I would pass out!!! I’d say dab the bloody feathers with a warm wet washcloth and put BlueKote on the wounds…100% seperare her from the troublemaker but don’t put her in the coop as the other girls won’t be able to lay in there. Put her in a separate pen or if u don’t have one of those (like me) rig up a secure pen in the garage with chairs, sheets, heavy things, boxes…just make sure she can’t get out bc the garage is a hazardous place for a hen. Provide food and water of course, and a nest box. But just keep hr in there, have her spend the night in the garage or other pen and let her heal. When she’s healed out her back in the pen and the heard truth is is u gotta get rid of the rooster if this continues.

What brand of feed do you use?

Dumor layer pellets

 

[Birdoma]

Feed does not dictate certain attributes. My neighbor doesn't give her chickens any feed, ever, they are to live off of what they forage, and I've never seen one of her multiple roos attack a hen like that

My chickens are all allowed to free range. Cogburn was not a free range roo when we got him. He was kept in a 2x2 single coop. He is enjoying the free range, and becoming accustomed to his new life of daily meal worm treats and morning scratch and he is a beautiful bird. He doesn't treat any of the other girls like this, not even the three java mixes we just added to the flock.

 

[Birdoma]

How old is this rooster? Personally, I would not have a rooster that lacked gentlemanly attributes.

He shouldn't be chasing them down, he should be wooing them, dancing, tidbiting, etc.

Oh, he does for some of them, most especially his favorite, Chestnut.

 

[Birdoma]

How is she doing?

She is healing and more active in the coop. She is also reasserting her dominance with the other girls, but I have kept him separated from her with the exception of the two really cold nights we had. I felt sorry for him and didn't want him to be cold, so I let him sleep with the girls. I will not let her out with him until her feathers regrow, though.

 

[Eggcessive]

I had a hen once who had a sick spell for over a month and she was in a hospital pen recovering near the others. However, when she recovered, they would not allow her to be around them. We solved the problem by letting her free range all day long on the other side of our chicken fence netting. I had to put her back in her pen every evening, and let her out each morning. After 6-8 months, they finally accepted her again. Good luck with her recovery.