Rooster killed hen?!?

[rabiee]

@aart the blood was fresh looking not dried, I didn't notice blood on anyone else at first, but the next morning I did notice on my muscovy's chest there was blood. So now I don't know what to think.

@chickens really this hen was about 9/10 months old, we have two others from the same hatch and then 3 that are about 5/6 months old. This cockerel is 5/6 months old as well.

Sorry to get back so late, I don't have internet at my house, so on the weekends I'm unplugged.

There hasn't been any other incidents yet, I'm hoping this spring I can set up a better run and bigger coop, maybe separate my ducks from the chickens too. We normally free range, but with the weather being sub zero and leaving for work when it's still dark out, they are locked in the run all day.

 

[aart]

If blood was fresh and no birds had blood on their beaks it was something else that killed.

 

[Buff O]

I want some opinions on this, I believe one of my roosters, a young Jersey Giant/RIR cross killed one of my hens. This morning when I went to do chores I found her in the coop, neck and head all bloody and she was stiff, so I think it happened last night before I turned their light off. Everyone else was still roosted because it was dark. I don't believe a predator did it, because I have two female ducks in the coop as well and they were fine.
I have two roosters and 6 hens, this young rooster is just starting to crow and cause problems, he is very aggressive with the hens and rips their neck feathers out when mating. I have been trying to re-home him, but may cull him if I can't find a home soon.
Has anyone seen this happen before? Or do you think that they all could have gained up on her? She wasn't on the bottom of the pecking order, and they have a nice sized run, but the coop is small. When I lock them in I'll leave a light on for a bit before just unplugging the the extension cord from the house. So I don't check on them again after that.

TIA for any input.

I had a rooster that made it his business to kill as many hens as he could. The last straw was when I saw him run to a hen and when she squatted he stood squarely on her back and grabbed her head shaking it violently. She would have been his third victim.

 

[Billy jay]

I want some opinions on this, I believe one of my roosters, a young Jersey Giant/RIR cross killed one of my hens. This morning when I went to do chores I found her in the coop, neck and head all bloody and she was stiff, so I think it happened last night before I turned their light off. Everyone else was still roosted because it was dark. I don't believe a predator did it, because I have two female ducks in the coop as well and they were fine.
I have two roosters and 6 hens, this young rooster is just starting to crow and cause problems, he is very aggressive with the hens and rips their neck feathers out when mating. I have been trying to re-home him, but may cull him if I can't find a home soon.
Has anyone seen this happen before? Or do you think that they all could have gained up on her? She wasn't on the bottom of the pecking order, and they have a nice sized run, but the coop is small. When I lock them in I'll leave a light on for a bit before just unplugging the the extension cord from the house. So I don't check on them again after that.

TIA for any input.

Just bought 4 hens from a friend Not sure of breed but a dominecker hen and a solid black hen were killed by my rooster! The other 2 mixed breed hens are fine and the rooster gets along well. So far. Why would a rooster kill 2 docile hens?

 

[Kingsfold]

We recently went through the same thing, losing two Banties, almost certainly to the rooster. Most flock owners know what a hawk, or other predator attack looks like - and from how you describe the scene and injuries, my bet would be on a rooster attack.

 

[Mrs. K]

Always solve from the viewpoint of your flock. As the second set of birds are approaching 5-6 months they are really full sized. Up until now, they were smaller, and the coop was enough. But once they are full sized, then the coop is too small.

Birds have a way of working that out. If a bird killed a weaker bird in the set up, they are telling you they do not have enough space at night. People think that if they have enough space in the daytime, it will compensate for a too small of area at night, and it doesn't. Instead it can lead to very ugly behaviors.

I would cull the rooster at once. With him gone, and the pullet that you lost gone, see if the tension in the flock really falls. Are they more relaxed? If so, take a head count, and that is the number of birds that will fit well in your set up. Some birds can tolerate over crowding, and some birds cannot, but solving for peace in the flock is important.

Years ago, I was inexperienced in culling, and got bit with chicken math and had way too many birds in the set up approaching 6 months. I got hit by a predator, that drastically reduced the numbers, and was pretty upset...but within days, I noticed that the birds that were left, were much happier. I had not been aware of the tension, until it was gone. I counted that number, and never went above it again.

You have to know your set up. It is better to keep a flock of happy birds, rather than to keep of flock filled with tension and ugly behaviors.

Mrs K