Rooster with ducks?!?!?

[poultrypalooza]

I have a question. I cannot free-range my chickens but they are in a very nice coop with a fairly large yard where they can get out in the sunshine and scratch in the dirt, etc. I have 5 hens and 1 rooster. My rooster, named Goliath, is a Light Brahma and he is the gentlest most awesome rooster ever! There's a problem however.....the hens will NOT stop pecking him! Originally they were pecking his feet and legs. I put some "Pick No More" ointment on them and they stopped. A few weeks later they started pulling out his beautiful tail feathers. All of his long tail feathers are gone and they've started pecking him in the bum! Last week I noticed it was bleeding so I held him down and doused his bum with "Pick No More". For a while they left him alone. This morning when I was doing chores I witnessed the bum pecking again. One hen in particular would NOT leave him alone!!! I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to remove him from the coop. He will be very lonely all by himself plus he would very quickly become predator bait. I have a pen of ducks that adjoin my chicken coop. I have 5 Pekin Hens, 2 Khaki Campbell Hens, and 2 Khaki Campbell Drakes. I was thinking about moving Goliath in with the ducks. What do you think? Will the ducks harm my rooster? Any suggestions/advice would be welcomed!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a question. I cannot free-range my chickens but they are in a very nice coop with a fairly large yard where they can get out in the sunshine and scratch in the dirt, etc. I have 5 hens and 1 rooster. My rooster, named Goliath, is a Light Brahma and he is the gentlest most awesome rooster ever! There's a problem however.....the hens will NOT stop pecking him! Originally they were pecking his feet and legs. I put some "Pick No More" ointment on them and they stopped. A few weeks later they started pulling out his beautiful tail feathers. All of his long tail feathers are gone and they've started pecking him in the bum! Last week I noticed it was bleeding so I held him down and doused his bum with "Pick No More". For a while they left him alone. This morning when I was doing chores I witnessed the bum pecking again. One hen in particular would NOT leave him alone!!! I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to remove him from the coop. He will be very lonely all by himself plus he would very quickly become predator bait. I have a pen of ducks that adjoin my chicken coop. I have 5 Pekin Hens, 2 Khaki Campbell Hens, and 2 Khaki Campbell Drakes. I was thinking about moving Goliath in with the ducks. What do you think? Will the ducks harm my rooster? Any suggestions/advice would be welcomed!

You need to get some Blue Kote asap, if they draw blood they will peck him to death chickens are cannibals, it's very cheap and TSC carries it. it will hide the wound and speed healing. You could trry him in with the ducks till he's healed but give him a roost where he can get up and away if they start picking on him. I think once you get the Blue Kote and spray your roo the hens will leave him alone, if they start on other areas just spray them too. Once the pecking is broken things should go about normal. He'll be purple for a while and you too if not careful but it is great stuff for things like this. it also comes with a dabber which is better than the spray for keeping it off of us.

 

[needlessjunk]

I don't has any advice but whwn working with Blu Kote wear gloves and old clothes. It will stain everything blue. If you do get some on you, which enviably happens, rubbing alcohol takes a good amount off. GL!

 

[poultrypalooza]

You need to get some Blue Kote asap, if they draw blood they will peck him to death chickens are cannibals, it's very cheap and TSC carries it. it will hide the wound and speed healing. You could trry him in with the ducks till he's healed but give him a roost where he can get up and away if they start picking on him. I think once you get the Blue Kote and spray your roo the hens will leave him alone, if they start on other areas just spray them too. Once the pecking is broken things should go about normal. He'll be purple for a while and you too if not careful but it is great stuff for things like this. it also comes with a dabber which is better than the spray for keeping it off of us.

I've got some stuff called "Pick No More" which also turns him purple. It's a very sticky ointment. I put that on him and they left him alone for a while until it wore off. Is the Blue Kote better? Does it last longer?

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Approximately how large is your run? Did you get them all at the same time or did the rooster come later?

 

[Mrs.H]

I would also suggest once he is better that he be put back in the flock and try removing the main hen who is picking on him for awhile. She maybe the top of the pecking order. Maybe once you remove her for awhile it may stop. I have done that with one of my bossy hens and it worked.

 

[poultrypalooza]

Approximately how large is your run? Did you get them all at the same time or did the rooster come later?

The run is approximately 18 ft X 24 ft. They all grew up together as chicks. He was separated from the hens for a few months but he's been back with the hens for about 4 months and I'd say the pecking started about a month ago.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

You're right that is a decent size, plenty of room for them. I would agree with Mrs. H take out your biggest offender for a while and knock her down a few pegs. What kind of diet do they have?

 

[poultrypalooza]

You're right that is a decent size, plenty of room for them. I would agree with Mrs. H take out your biggest offender for a while and knock her down a few pegs. What kind of diet do they have?

They get some scratch every morning. They have layer pellets available all the time. In the afternoons I give them vegetable scraps either from the kitchen or from the garden. There's not much left in the garden now. They LOVE tomatoes so I buy tomatoes for them year round and they get some as a treat every day along with whatever greens I have on hand. I also raise mealworms and they get a handful or two every now and again. In the cold of winter I cook up either corn meal mush or oatmeal every day and serve it to them warm with sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, etc. added. They LOVE that! They get that instead of the fresh vegetables (except for the tomatoes, they still get some tomatoes every day even in the winter). In the winter I also give them a handful or two of dry catfood.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Well that answers that. I doubt it could be the diet. How strange that they just want to pick on him all of a sudden.