Rooster keeps having his wattles pecked! Suggestions? UPDATE

[notsooldmcdonald]

Well, followed the advice I got...brought him in, cleaned him up, swathed pine tar on his tender spots (and all over myself!), and put him back. As of today, he's not bloodied and rounding up the ENTIRE flock (used to only gather his 8 of the 20) at dusk! I'm so proud of him and so glad for the help.

Thanks!
-Christian



I have 20 hens and one rooster (and one house chicken). They get layer pellets, oyster shell, grit, and clean water 24/7. I also provide them with at least one of the following treats on a daily basis: oatmeal w/flax + olive oil, "scratch" (cracked corn, oats, barley), black oil sunflower seeds (shelled), leafy (not stemmy) hay, and/or vegetable scraps. I do not have a light in the coop and the girls have been laying very well (20/20).


Yesterday some of the pullets started pecking at my rooster's wattles. He is white so the blood really stands out on his breast. I brought him in, cleaned his comb+wattles with a lukewarm weak iodine solution, dabbed the still bleeding spots with neosporin, dried him off, and put him back out. At the same time I threw the flock a leftover spaghetti squash in the hopes that it would get them off him for a bit.
This morning, when I let everyone out, his breast was clean, and I was hopeful.

By mid-day, however, his breast was bloody again, and upon examination it was indeed the wattles that had been pecked at.

How can I stop this from happening?

Thanks for any helpful suggestions!

-Christian

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Unfortunately, chickens love to pick at wounds. You may have to separate him from the flock until his wounds are completely healed.

Also, watch out for which chicken is picking at him. You may have a chicken that has developed a taste for blood (this can happen, and can lead to cannibalism). If another chicken starts getting picked at, then you may need to cull the offenders.

 

[ivan3]

we get this in the winter, as well. We tried a number of things (blukote/some off brand no pick). We ended up using pine tar cut with neosporin and just rubbed it on sparingly. This ended the wattle and comb nipping ASAP. Just be careful, if applying to comb, to only use a little (don't want it near the eyes). Also, wear gloves and warm it just a bit (is very viscous).

 

[DouglasPeeps]

I had this happen at the end of the summer. It brings new meaning to the saying "hen pecked".

Seriously though, I got the BlueKote - no pick, from my local feed store. I put it on him 3-5 times a day. ****Have someone help you, as he will probably shake his head and you will be splattered with the stuff. I have never gotten it off my jeans! Several BYC'ers on here advised me not to keep him separate from my flock. They said he needed to defend himself or what good was he as the flock leader. I followed their advice. My hens did stop picking on him. I am looking for the thread now. I will post it when I find it.

Hope this helps!

 

[notsooldmcdonald]

I will keep my eyes open for who seems to be doing it. In the meantime, how hard is it to find pine tar?

Thanks!
-Christian

After posting this, I did a cursory look through my equine "stuff" cabinet. I actually have it, and have been putting it on my horse's hoves for a few years now! "Yay" to quick find and hopefully fixes!

-C

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, good advice by the previous posters.

Just had to add that roosters are total pushovers to hens... I've caught my rooster just standing there as a hen yanked out his neck feathers to eat. Just standing, taking it... and even lowered his head for her to get a better angle.

Blue kote was enough to fix the issue here.

 

[Opa]

I can't offer much more that agree with the previous posters. Good luck.

 

[DouglasPeeps]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=76167

Here is the link. I was wrong, it isn't blue-kote......I used Rooster Booster - No Pick Solution.

Hope this helps.

 

[ivan3]

Any feed store /TSC/etc. should have pine tar (check the horse section).

 

[notsooldmcdonald]

Quote:
No kidding! What is it that makes them do that (I'm sure they'd blame their parents. I've seen them peck at him, he doesn't even really react, other than to maybe stand a little taller. Strange.

-c