- Jun 28, 2011
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I have 5 mature roos at the moment and 50 hens. I'm going to sell the two youngest roos next week as they are too closely related to some of my hens and I hatch their eggs.
Problem is with my two main roos:
Heide's been with us well over a year now. I raised him after his mom hatched and rejected him. He's practically my child and I love him very very much. We have a fantastic bond.
Blackie is Heide's son and his mom is my best hen. (She's about 5 years old and still laying well). As it happens I raised Blackie in the house as well. He'll be a year old mid December. I've recently hatched the first chickc of which Blackie's the dad and I've never seen such strong chicks. Very good breeding roo, that one. He really got the best of both his parents.
Problem is Heide's top roo and Blackie wants to take over.
I didn't pick up any problems until about 30mins ago when I was in the coop with a broody who just went to sit, I was giving her some eggs and Heide walked in with his entire comb covered in blood! Blackie followed with a bit less blood on his comb, but quite a bit on his feet. Heide has long spurs, but no blood on them, thankfully, so I think he only used his beak to attack, whereas Blackie seemed to have used his feet. They both had quite a bit of blood on their heads, but no obvious wounds, mostly smallish ones on their their combs and rather bloody mouths.
(Sorry about all this, I don't want to post photo's, they look really bad.)
I honestly don't know what to do now. I don't want to get rid of either roo and I don't want them roo to get seriously injured either. I adore both of them.
Should I let them sort it out?
And what should I do with their combs, regarding wound care?
Any advice would be welcome. I'm too upset to think straight now.
Problem is with my two main roos:
Heide's been with us well over a year now. I raised him after his mom hatched and rejected him. He's practically my child and I love him very very much. We have a fantastic bond.
Blackie is Heide's son and his mom is my best hen. (She's about 5 years old and still laying well). As it happens I raised Blackie in the house as well. He'll be a year old mid December. I've recently hatched the first chickc of which Blackie's the dad and I've never seen such strong chicks. Very good breeding roo, that one. He really got the best of both his parents.
Problem is Heide's top roo and Blackie wants to take over.
I didn't pick up any problems until about 30mins ago when I was in the coop with a broody who just went to sit, I was giving her some eggs and Heide walked in with his entire comb covered in blood! Blackie followed with a bit less blood on his comb, but quite a bit on his feet. Heide has long spurs, but no blood on them, thankfully, so I think he only used his beak to attack, whereas Blackie seemed to have used his feet. They both had quite a bit of blood on their heads, but no obvious wounds, mostly smallish ones on their their combs and rather bloody mouths.
(Sorry about all this, I don't want to post photo's, they look really bad.)
I honestly don't know what to do now. I don't want to get rid of either roo and I don't want them roo to get seriously injured either. I adore both of them.
Should I let them sort it out?
And what should I do with their combs, regarding wound care?
Any advice would be welcome. I'm too upset to think straight now.