Ripped comb…

[TinaRew]

I can’t say for sure… but I think my roo may have ripped my girl’s comb. We currently have her separated and spraying vetericyn on it. We tried to do supervised time outside with the others and the other hens are fine around her, but my roo goes right to attack this spot, so we immediately separated them again. If this is my roo… how can I keep this from happening again in the same spot? Has anyone dealt with this before? She’s already bottom of the pecking order, and keeping her separated for a long time isn’t ideal. It’s also rare that he tries to mate with her - she usually escapes him. He has a favorite that seems to have his eye most of the time.

ideally we don’t want to cull or rehome him. If it’s him… is there another solution?
We also can’t separate them indefinitely.

attaching pics. One is a month and a half ago, and then the injury now.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would separate him for a week or two. You can let him stay inside a dog crate with food and water. He can be with them, or you can separate him in a garage or elsewhere. I like having a rooster, but we have had to get rid of one who scalped and nearly killed one meek hen. Hopefully, this will work out.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I'd spray some Blu-Kote or similar product on her comb, all of it. The blue-colored vet spray has antiseptic properties, and will help it heal. I don't know how to describe it properly, but chickens are attracted to the color red. A red comb signifies sexual maturity and attracts a rooster to mate. On a rooster, it's a sign of his sexual prowess and attracts the hens (and sometimes other roosters to fight). Further, evidence of fresh blood anywhere on a chicken will attract others in the flock to peck at it - leading to further injury and sometimes even death. (Chickens see injuries as a sign of weakness, and a dinnertime bell for predators. For safety, they cannot tolerate fresh blood in their vicinity and it must be eliminated.)

Color the comb BLUE and it will lessen the attractiveness of this feature while it heals.