Vicious attack why?

[plecostrum]

I brought a new cock bird but the one hen has ripped him apart he has a hole in head and skull from looks of it. I've cleaned and given antibiotics he seems fine ...he looks terrible but why?

I thought the hens would accept him but this one hen is nasty. I remove her overnight and left him he was nervous but fine with the other 3. I put her back in and she has properly attached him badly.

Any ideas why?

I have 4 cocks all white she doesn't complain at any
but this silver cock same colour As her slightly younger male nope...

 

[mondotomhead]

You cannot just put in a new and strange bird right away. There is a pecking order already established and adding a new bird freaks out some birds. Everyone has to get used to everyone else first.

Put him in a small cage by himself in the coop with the hens for a couple/three days so they can see him but not get at him. Then, at night, take him out of his cage and put him on the roost with the others. I've done this sucessfully many times. There is some pecking but nothing vicious.

I've been where you are now. My little rooster who was terribly attacked still has a bald spot on his head. (This was before I learned not to do this!)

 

[plecostrum]

I have 2 pens. They were all combined but I separated into 2 I regularly. Swap the cocks over

I removed her. For the night everyone was fine
I put her back and she puffed up and attacked him

I did think she was a he I'm convinced I saw foam but no lump so thought **** shes a cock as she silver they sex very late for some reason so I left her out. And she laid a egg lolol so she's a girl . I was sold her as a cock as they saw foaming too.

I have put in a white cock unknown to her and she's fine it's a bit strange ..
But it not just pecking she's took off his head and skin and gone into the skull I'm sure it's sooo swollen I can't see properly, All in about 1 hour I think he just got in corner and give up running..

I will keep him separate. For a week see if he heals ok And then start over I have a small cage I can put him in there till he's healed thank you for the advice ...

Very frustrating took me ages to find silver cock, when I had him the man before had same problem he hadn't got on with other birds and was scabby headed from other grouping. Maybe he's just a wimp lol

 

[plecostrum]

I have 2 pens. They were all combined but I separated into 2 I regularly. Swap the cocks over

I removed her. For the night everyone was fine
I put her back and she puffed up and attacked him

I did think she was a he I'm convinced I saw foam but no lump so thought shes a cock as she silver they sex very late for some reason so I left her out. And she laid a egg lolol so she's a girl . I was sold her as a cock as they saw foaming too.

I have put in a white cock unknown to her and she's fine it's a bit strange ..
But it not just pecking she's took off his head and skin and gone into the skull I'm sure it's sooo swollen I can't see properly, All in about 1 hour I think he just got in corner and give up running..

I will keep him separate. For a week see if he heals ok And then start over I have a small cage I can put him in there till he's healed thank you for the advice ...

Very frustrating took me ages to find silver cock, when I had him the man before had same problem he hadn't got on with other birds and was scabby headed from other grouping. Maybe he's just a wimp lol

 

[mondotomhead]

Oh, I hope he gets better. My little rooster's head was totally pecked out. No feathers grow on his head to this day. It really does work letting the old birds seeing the new birds through a separate area.

Chickens are similar to cats. You cannot put a new cat in the same room with and "old" cat or they will fight too.

Good luck and let us know how the rooster does.

 

[TwoCrows]

All quail need to be integrated slowly into a new flock. As said above, you can not just put a new bird in with an existing flock or somebody is going to get bloody. It has nothing to do with being a wimp.

I recommend keeping him in the same pen with a wire partition so that everybody sees everybody. Leave him in there for a few weeks by himself so most of the aggression gets worked out thru the wire. Make sure this wire is small enough that there can be no contact between the birds. This separation will also help quarantine him off for illness.

Apply Blu-kote to the area for about a week or til the injury heals.

After 2 or so weeks, you can try him out with one or two of the others. See how it goes. However, do not just walk away at this point. You need to be attentive for at least a week before you can deem the situation resolved. If there is any fighting after this point, you either have to figure out who will get along with him and keep them separate, or separate him out completely. Good luck!