Something violent went down...

[dunnmom]

And no, I don’t absolutely need to keep the cockerel. He was hatched by one of my Buffs, and I was allowing him a trial period to see if he would work out, so that I could have fertile eggs. A few of my older girls don’t lay that well anymore, and are destined for a soup pot. I thought replacing them with mixed breed babies might be a good idea, because people have told me that their crossbreeds usually lay better. So yeah, kind of a trial-scale breeding program was what I had in mind.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

There’s only 1 cockerel, I’m positive. All the rest lay eggs. I have 6 grown hens, two pullets, and a roo. As far as space is concerned, I know that it matters and could have some bearing on the situation, but I can’t even begin to deal with that today, which is why I’m avoiding answering that question. Too much going on even besides the chicken drama, and need to attend the injured first and foremost. I’m just trying to figure out who the aggressor/s are at this point. I have the one hen I saw doing this morning’s attack in a big cage beside the run at the moment. I’m kind of waiting to see if anyone else fights.

And no, I don’t absolutely need to keep the cockerel. He was hatched by one of my Buffs, and I was allowing him a trial period to see if he would work out, so that I could have fertile eggs. A few of my older girls don’t lay that well anymore, and are destined for a soup pot. I thought replacing them with mixed breed babies might be a good idea, because people have told me that their crossbreeds usually lay better. So yeah, kind of a trial-scale breeding program was what I had in mind.

How badly injured are the hens? Hopefully not too bad. Just do what you can for them, if they have cuts, you can put a little BluKote or triple antibiotic ointment on those.

 

[dunnmom]

Thanks everyone for getting in on this conversation. I think I have a plan now.

 

[MROO]

Thanks everyone for getting in on this conversation. I think I have a plan now.

Keep us posted!

 

[micstrachan]

Good luck!

 

[dunnmom]

When I cleaned up the most torn up hen, I did notice she had been injured at the back of the head behind her comb, as well as the comb damage. So, I guess he WAS responsible for that one! No one has injuries to their back, really, but he doesn’t have much of any spurs yet. I suppose he should be separated for the meantime. Maybe he’s causing fights among the older hens. And maybe he got frustrated with them because they still treat him like a kid. They treat him with zero respect. His hatchmates are his main girls. He hasn’t made it to the top of the pecking order yet.

 

[dunnmom]

I did put her in the coop after dark so the others couldn’t see her wounds to peck at them and she’d be more comfortable on her own roost. She roosted right next to him of all places.

 

[MROO]

When I cleaned up the most torn up hen, I did notice she had been injured at the back of the head behind her comb, as well as the comb damage. So, I guess he WAS responsible for that one! No one has injuries to their back, really, but he doesn’t have much of any spurs yet. I suppose he should be separated for the meantime. Maybe he’s causing fights among the older hens. And maybe he got frustrated with them because they still treat him like a kid. They treat him with zero respect. His hatchmates are his main girls. He hasn’t made it to the top of the pecking order yet.

Sure sounds like it. Somewhere, there HAS to be a study proving that cockerels and middle/high school boys share some DNA, 'cause they sure do share a lot of the same behavior!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When I cleaned up the most torn up hen, I did notice she had been injured at the back of the head behind her comb, as well as the comb damage. So, I guess he WAS responsible for that one! No one has injuries to their back, really, but he doesn’t have much of any spurs yet. I suppose he should be separated for the meantime. Maybe he’s causing fights among the older hens. And maybe he got frustrated with them because they still treat him like a kid. They treat him with zero respect. His hatchmates are his main girls. He hasn’t made it to the top of the pecking order yet.

I did put her in the coop after dark so the others couldn’t see her wounds to peck at them and she’d be more comfortable on her own roost. She roosted right next to him of all places.

From your description it does sound like damage from the cockerel.

I agree, separating him would be best. It will let you see if things settle down.
With older hens, it takes them a good while to accept a cockerel, he is still young, so it's normal for them to chase him off. This works o.k. if there is room for them to all get away from one another, but if their space is a bit tight, then tensions rise and you may see fighting.