Rooster Injuries - Unknown Cause

[hmmleider]

Hello All!

We are new to chickens and stumped. We have had this flock since April. We did have a surprise rooster but re-homed him so we have just the one Cornish Rooster. So he was being a typical rooster with our 12 remaining females breaking their feathers and causing damage to them (drew blood on a couple) so I went and to the Down Under Outdoors saddles for some of the girls. Two of them have the wing guards (the ones he did the most damage to).

We noticed a couple of weeks ago under his large wing feathers on both sides more towards the back he has missing feathers and on occasion there has been blood. I have witnessed a couple of girls pecking at it when they get a chance but it's not constant when I am out there. Today I noticed he is starting to get another spot on his chest.

Any thoughts on what might be causing this and how to treat it? Whenever I research injuries to the rooster the search always defaults to the rooster injuring the girls.

 

[sourland]

You've answered your own question some hen/hens are feather pecking/plucking him.

 

[gglyons]

You've answered your own question some hen/hens are feather pecking/plucking him.

That would be my guess as well. Perhaps he did get a scape or they hens are just picking on him- once the other chickens see a wound they peck at it. I had a group of young chickens and one got injured (from the chk tractor I think) - next morning there were only feet and some bones left. True story. If you want this rooster, I would separate him so he can heal.