Silkie Cochin Roos Attacked Bantam Hen - Tried to Kill Her! ~ Help!

[CK Chickadilly]

Help! I got out to do morning chores & 2 of the SilkCo boys had Topaz (bantam hen - older) down killing her.

Yesterday they picked a fight with her & she fluffed up big & didn't back down & then her Bantam Roo, Rocky stepped in & the SilkCo boys backed off.

This morning at least 2 of the SilkCo boys were killing her, I saw it.

I have 5 SilkCo roos & need to get rid of 3 obviously!

I picked Topaz up & she was damp & they had torn her skin & feathers off her head from the comb down about 1 & 1/2 inches. Part of her comb is gone & her wattles are torn. She is still alive but hurting. She needed the stop bleeding gel, she was bleeding bad! I put her in a cage in the barn with a light on her. She does move around I think she might make it.

Question is.....do you think they were trying to make her "theirs" & take her away from Rocky the Bantam roo? & she wasn't putting up with it? Why would they do this? They have all gotten along great until now.

Is there just to many roos?

Should I figure out which ones are aggressive & get rid of them?

Please help me figure this out. I have a soft heart, but I can't deal with bad roos either. I need to toughen up & if they need to be gone that so be it.

Thank you!!!!!

 

[danischi24]

It sounds like your hen was displaying rooster behavior for some odd reason which is why the roos are treating her as a threat & attacking her. All you can really do is separate the aggressive roos into a bachelor pad or get rid of them.

 

[swtangel321]

awww, poor girl..... Hope she is ok !! Sounds to me like #1 you have to many roosters (join the club) and #2 you might be right about them "trying to make the hen theres" or fighting over her !!

I would keep her away from the flock till she was fully better (a few weeks)

 

[CK Chickadilly]

Yeah the bad roos are in bachelor pads right now, & having fits I may add, oh well!

I brought out some warm scrambled eggs for Topaz & she can't even eat them. Her neck is so sore! I stuffed a few in her mouth & she swallowed them but obviously the neck has a lot to do with there bending it over to peck. She can't do it.

Is is the "boss" hen out there. She doesn't take any crap from any of them & they usually back down. That is why I think those boys were trying to make her "theirs" ??????

Well, it will be some time before she heals. She looks pretty bad!

Thanks for your help & Merry Christmas!
Cyn

 

[gretchenhau]

I have 1 roo and 5 chickens, one is slightly cripples, they all have gotten along until 2 days ago, they attacked Cluck Cluck, ate part of her comb, she has no feathers on ther wings and is bleeding, but she can eat, so the last 2 nights she goes in a special crate with her muscovey friend and no more injuries on my watch.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

Well I have tried giving her the favorite foods & she won't eat. I had to use a dropper to giver her water with electrolytes. She fought me with that.

Is she just really sore & can't peck cause of loosing all her skin & feathers on the back of her neck?

Or is she just being stubborn cause she is in lock down?

She walks around & is cranky like always.

Should I spray some blu-kote on the wounds & put her back with the others? The bad boys are locked up so they can't get her.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!!!!

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

Quote:
Can you put some Neosporin or other antibiotic ointment on her wounds, at least. It may take the sting out and soften the skin up. Maybe enough to make her relax and want to eat.
I had to pull two roosters off my most submissive rooster one night. Luckily, I had had a wire crate in the coop and he kind of wedged his head behind it so they couldn't get at it. This is obviously their target when they attack. He was screaming his head off and I came running as I never heard such a racket.

 

[Beau coop]

In another thread in the injury section suggest aspirin for the pain. Try a search for the right dosage. Maybe she is in too much pain to eat.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

thanks for the replies....she has a lot of dried stop bleeding gel on her which may be tightening on her skin. I think tomorrow I better use a warm damp cloth to remove & use the neosporin. She's walking around & cranky as ever like usual....lol....but no eating yet. I know she wants to go back out with the crew but if I try that I will have to stay out for a while to see if she is OK.

I didn't know you could give asprin. I will look for that thread.
Thanks!

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

Don't put her back in with the others until she's completely healed. If they see the wound they'll peck at it and you'll most likely end up with a dead hen.

You do have to get rid of the roosters. They won't get any nicer. It's just their instinct. Sadly it's just part of the whole chicken raising business.