Separating the flock, re-injured bird! 😬

OllieBollie

Chirping
Sep 12, 2020
49
67
89
St. Paul, Minnesota
So we have 6 Cornish cross broiler chickens, 6 months old. As they grew we noticed 3 of them had shorter combs and wattles, and 3 had larger ones as well as brighter red. Initially we were concerned these 3 could be roosters, but were not certain. The flock continued to get along well, cuddling at night and when it’s cold. 2 weeks ago one of the bright red comb and wattle chickens, named Sassafras (Sassy for short) injured her leg. We kept an eye on her and watched for bullying behavior. Sure enough, we opened the coop one morning and she had blood on her wing where the other 2 bigger chickens had pecked her feathers out. We scooped Sassy out of there and into a chicken hospital to recover. Yesterday we started the process to reintroduce Sassy to the flock. We brought her out for breakfast in the run, going back out after about 30 minutes to check on them. I found one chicken upside down 🤦‍♀️, still don’t know how that happens, and Sassy was under the coop with the other 2 larger girls standing over her. Sassy had a cut on the back of her head and her comb. I brought her immediately back to her little hospital to recover yet again.
We are unsure whether the flock will accept her at all, or if we have to keep her in her own “flock”?.
We have also noticed the 3 larger girls have started a quiet garbled crow from time to time. Does that mean we have 3 roosters then? I’ve researched how to tell the difference from rooster to hen in Cornish crosses, but have come out still wondering which gender they are. Worth noting we are not raising these girls for meat. We ration their food and so far they are all quite active going up and down their ramp daily as well as dust bathing and running around the run.
We added on to our coop, doubling the size, so we could put up a wall halfway across the coop to split the flock, if they can’t all get along. Does that work even? Since the 2 larger girls/boys are the ones picking on Sassy, and the 3 small girls as well lol

Any tips and advice is GREATLY appreciated. We want to provide our birds as happy and healthy a home as we can for as long as they have on earth. So for those who have had similar issues, advice and tips are welcome.
The photo below is of two of the three larger chickens. Are these roosters you think?
The bottom pic is one of the three with paler and shorter combs and wattles.
 

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More pics would help but one on left seems to be roo.

The pecking order should settle down but if she can't join, she'll need company.
 
More pics would help but one on left seems to be roo.

The pecking order should settle down but if she can't join, she'll need company.
That’s what we were wondering too. We could shift the three smaller girls in with Sassy. But will the other two larger ones be okay on their own or will they not get along if they’re both roosters?
 

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So we have 6 Cornish cross broiler chickens, 6 months old. As they grew we noticed 3 of them had shorter combs and wattles, and 3 had larger ones as well as brighter red. Initially we were concerned these 3 could be roosters, but were not certain. The flock continued to get along well, cuddling at night and when it’s cold. 2 weeks ago one of the bright red comb and wattle chickens, named Sassafras (Sassy for short) injured her leg. We kept an eye on her and watched for bullying behavior. Sure enough, we opened the coop one morning and she had blood on her wing where the other 2 bigger chickens had pecked her feathers out. We scooped Sassy out of there and into a chicken hospital to recover. Yesterday we started the process to reintroduce Sassy to the flock. We brought her out for breakfast in the run, going back out after about 30 minutes to check on them. I found one chicken upside down 🤦‍♀️, still don’t know how that happens, and Sassy was under the coop with the other 2 larger girls standing over her. Sassy had a cut on the back of her head and her comb. I brought her immediately back to her little hospital to recover yet again.
We are unsure whether the flock will accept her at all, or if we have to keep her in her own “flock”?.
We have also noticed the 3 larger girls have started a quiet garbled crow from time to time. Does that mean we have 3 roosters then? I’ve researched how to tell the difference from rooster to hen in Cornish crosses, but have come out still wondering which gender they are. Worth noting we are not raising these girls for meat. We ration their food and so far they are all quite active going up and down their ramp daily as well as dust bathing and running around the run.
We added on to our coop, doubling the size, so we could put up a wall halfway across the coop to split the flock, if they can’t all get along. Does that work even? Since the 2 larger girls/boys are the ones picking on Sassy, and the 3 small girls as well lol

Any tips and advice is GREATLY appreciated. We want to provide our birds as happy and healthy a home as we can for as long as they have on earth. So for those who have had similar issues, advice and tips are welcome.
The photo below is of two of the three larger chickens. Are these roosters you think?
The bottom pic is one of the three with paler and shorter combs and wattles.
Due to the breed and their longevity under the best of conditions, I would separate the 3 cockerels from the pullets.
 
Thank you all for the advice and tips. We are not surprised that 3 of our “girls” are actually boys. So 2 of our roosters will need to be rehomed then. 💔
What’s the best place to find homes for our Roos?
 
Thank you all for the advice and tips. We are not surprised that 3 of our “girls” are actually boys. So 2 of our roosters will need to be rehomed then. 💔
What’s the best place to find homes for our Roos?
It will be difficult to find a home that won’t eat them, especially since they’re meatbirds and need special care. You mentioned that you could split the coop?
 
It will be difficult to find a home that won’t eat them, especially since they’re meatbirds and need special care. You mentioned that you could split the coop?
That’s what I’m concerned about. We doubled the size of the coop, so we have the room to put up a wall splitting it in two; one side for the little girls and Sassy, and one side for the Roos. Would that work you think?
 

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