Rooster has bloody wattles and neck

[rlhagan56]

I did a search but nothing specific came up. Last night at dark I noticed my banty BR roo had a LOT of blood on his throat area. I brought him in the house and cleaned him up a little to see what happened and where. His wattles were all covered in blood, some dried, and he was missing a few spots of feathers on his throat. I put some Vetrecyn on it and let it dry while I held him in a towel and watched the news.

Just wondered what on earth could have happened! He is in his own coop and run with two little banty hens who adore him. He is a very good rooster to them, so I wondered if there is a way he could have gotten hung up on the chicken wire? The rest of the runs have bird netting over chicken wire. And chicken wire separating runs. Anyone have this happen, and is there something else I should doctor him with? It is unusually cold out the last two days and today, it isn't frostbite that caused this, that I am certain of.

 

[Eggsoteric]

Could be he stuck his head thru the chicken wire that separates the run and then injured himself when he tried to pull his head back thru. Vetericyn is good stuff. I use either Vetericyn or Blue Kote (the latter if I think any of the other chickens might pick at a wound).

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Is there a rooster in an adjacent run to his? If so then I'd lay odds he was fighting with it through the fencing. I've a rooster who's had the same injury twice. Wattles and throat injured with resulting bleeding all over his front. First time was him attempting to fend off a skunk before I got there to save him. Second time was a week after he and his two pullets were introduced to the large winter pen and he was vying for dominant rooster. I keep two roosters in there, hasn't been a problem since so will continue to.

 

[rlhagan56]

Yes, there is Forest Gump next door, and his name says it all lol. He is a tiny buff Sebright and the BR banty rooster is twice his size. I am on my way out to check for other damage to anyone.

 

[rlhagan56]

Well the big rooster looks now like nothing happened, love Vetericyn. Now Forest is fighting my easiest going hen and she is beating the tar out of him. When she goes back to her own business he attacks from behind. *sigh* Hope he learns the lesson soon, poor little idiot. They aren't hurting each other either.