Second chicken with back right side eaten(?) out.

[RiceFan]

Dear forum members,

This afternoon I found the second chicken with its right back side eaten out. I don't know what caused this. My guess is that it is from the roosters "teaming up" on her. What can cause such a wound, and if it is the roosters, can someone tell me how to choose which to kill, and which to save?

Pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/106854614250334341973/ChickenDisease#5753253656186510450

I have 4 roosters and 19 hens. What is optimum ratio?

Please help. I really don't want to loose all my birds!

-John

 

[jallny]

you should have 10 hens per rooster.

 

[RiceFan]

Ok, any hints on how to choose which rooster to keep? How about the wound? Is it something that a rooster (or roosters) would do?

Please help.

-John

 

[leadwolf1]

Your link says that the page can't be found.

 

[RiceFan]

Here is the new link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/106854614250334341973/ChickenDisease?authuser=0&feat=directlink

 

[leadwolf1]

I almost wish I hadn't asked for the link. That does look like it could have been caused by spurs or sharp toenails. You should pick the nicest roo and keep him.

 

[RiceFan]

Yeah, I really should have put up a warning...

Ok. Thanks. I'll do that ASAP.

-John

 

[Suzierd]

I would take the time to sit and watch their behavior and keep the nice guy. Any holes where rats can get in?

 

[RiceFan]

No holes I'm aware of. Perhaps under the gate to the run. there is 1/2" hardware cloth buried 6-8" under the 6' high fence. The coop is just about bullet prof as far as I can tell. Could rats do this kind of damage?

 

[RouenMom]

Now I know I'm new, and I've never had any roosters, but I had an EE hen that had been pecked into on the back in about the same place, down to the bone with exposed tendon. We found that one of the other hens had gone cannibalistic and had just started trying to eat her. Safe to say that hen didn't make it very long after we caught her at it one day. I would look at your other hens to see if anyone has smaller wounds as soon as you can; those feathers can hide a lot. Plus, once a chicken finds blood on anything, they tend to keep worrying the area and making an injury worse in my experience.

If you find any with smaller gashes, what we used to fix her up was this lovely EMT gel from Tractor Supply: http://www.tractorsupply.com/trophy-reg-emt-reg-gel-1-oz--2170063

It hardens and protects the wound from further damage, and heals them up surprisingly fast. I applied it twice and she had skin and feathers growing back within a month and wasn't pestered any longer after I applied it.