Turken owners help! Roo tearing hens necks open!

Gritsar, you get yourself into some situations. Some talent you have. I've never had NN's and would never have thought of that as a potential problem. After seeing what my former Speckled Sussex roo did to the feathers on the back of the head of some pullets when he was young, I can appreciate the problem. I assume the injury is up where a roo normally grabs a hen, up on the head more than down on the neck and pretty well centered on the back of the head. I've seen some pretty vicious pecking order pecks from hens toward the head and neck, but if the injuries are consistently in the same place, yeah, I'd certainly think roo.

Why have you ruled out Ollie? In other posts you said he was trying but was too big to complete the task. He would have the size and strength to grab hold and maybe the frustration to try too hard. Just a thought to help confuse you.

The way I understand your set-up, Thor and Impy occasionally meet each other and don't really fight. I think they are sort of in the same territory at least part of the time but keep out of each others way. They sleep in separate coops. OK, I'll admit, I really don't understand your set-up. Anyway, I've found that roosters raised together, even in a father-son type of arrangement, often find an accommodation as the younger one matures that does not involve a whole lot of real serious fighting. When the young one matures enough to really challenge the established rooster, there can and probably will be a fight or two, but even then they often reach an accommodation, even if it is a switch in dominance roles. If you separate Impy until he grows up, the fighting when he is reintroduced to the flock is likely to be more severe. It is still possible they will reach an accommodation, but it is likely to be more severe getting there. It is also possible that they will have serious fights if Impy continues to be raised with the flock and is not separated. From what you've said in other posts, I think Impy will eventually become flock master, dethroning Thor, whichever way you go. That does not necessarily mean he will kill or seriously injure Thor, just that he will eventually win.

You asked for other options. I'll surprise you and mention one that does not involve the kitchen. It is not something I'd do and I don't think you would either, but you could debeak Impy, cut off a short bit of his upper beak so he cannot grab hold so viciously.
 
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Did I ever tell you that your posts crack me up?
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Impy is afraid of Thor at this point. I know that can change in the future. I was also concerned about isolating Impy, as I am dreading the re-introduction period. Ollie doesn't play into this, as he's seperated with his pullets in the pen. When they are all out together I have never seen Ollie attempt to mate one of the layer pullets, only the CX pullets. I suspect the layer pullets are too fast for him. Not saying it couldn't happen, only that I've never seen it. Ollie doesn't spend alot of time trying to mate anyhow; maybe once a day. With Impy it's like every five minutes.
Not sure I could de-beak Impy. I don't see the seperation thing working for long either. The pullets will be 15 weeks old this Wednesday, so I'm hoping it won't be much longer and the girls will be squatting for him.
I may just have to cross my fingers and hope that no more turken pullets get injured.
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It's not common but does happen occasionally, I agree it is more an individual than a breed thing and probably it's so much more noticeable on a turken- damages on non-turkens could be covered up from view by feathers..

Sort of two things: young rooster being too excited and clumsy about mating. Second, turkens have thin skin when young. It thickens when they are mature and is way less prone to tears. As you see, the skin heals VERY fast.

Another possibility if there are more than one rooster- the rooster doing the mating is getting interrupted.... that can unintentionally cause injuries to the hen.
 
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Glad to know they develop the thicker skin as they age. Right now it's thin and baby soft.

Aside to Ridge - don't put it past me to knit little neck protectors for the turken pullets. I would have already started on them, but the weather has turned hot again. Dang Arkansas weather.
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I don't know why the hot weather would stop you knitting them, just stop you from putting them on the pullets.

I know what you mean about the hot weather. As soon as that washing machine finishes, I'll hang up that load then stay outside the rest of the afternoon in that sun. It's not as bad as a couple of weeks ago, but it is still not pleasant.

Where my roosters grab the pullets, neck protectors would not work. Mine grab them way up on the head, too high for a neck protector to protect unless it covers the eyes. Looking at NNBreeder's picture, mine would be grabbing the feathers, not the skin.
 
Well I dressed Mandi's wound again tonight and it does seem to be healing fast. Dealing with DH's medical issues the last couple of days, including today, so haven't had a chance to clean a large dog kennel as Impy's new home until he can learn to control the urge a little better.
Ridge, you are right that the wounds are very high. Right below their toupees or whatever you want to call the little dab of hair that they sport.
Really nice birds. You should get you some.
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BTW- roosters(both turken and not turken) routinely grab the skin on hens with no damage at all. The only damage I ever saw were on pullets and very young cockerels or another rooster interrupting a mating and 'accidentally' hurting the hen in the process- he tried to kick the roo and got the hen instead..

gristar- you've got it down already.. tricking, uh I mean, encouraging others to get turkens....
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