What happened to my poor head roo?

[CrzyCknLady]

I went out this afternoon to collect eggs (for like the tenth time today, as usual) and I noticed my head rooster, Nugget, was missing huge chunks of feathers on both sides of his neck. I'm very worried about what happened to him. All of my flock was in their enclosed run(top, sides and bottom) so I'm not sure if he got attacked by a predator or got into a fight with someone else in the flock. I do have another roo but he doesn't have a mark on him and he was chased off by Nugget as per usual while I was out snapping these pictures...... I did noticed I have 4 hens that are also missing miscellaneous feathers today too so I'm baffled!

I plan on spraying him with an antibiotic tonight just to make sure he's OK and doesn't get infected - I would do it now but I have to run to the store and he won't let me anywhere near him......I have to wait until he is roosting.

Could he have gotten into a fight with a hen or two and they did this to him or did something get him in the run? I can't find the feathers anywhere so that just makes me even more confused..........

 

[CluckyCharms]

I'm new! Molting? Might be parasites too, or lack of protein in what you're feeding them or what they're finding in the yard, etc. Here's a link:
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/chicken-feather-loss.aspx

Or yes, they might just be pecking at each other. :shrug: I don't know!

I hope you get it figured out!

 

[alaskapalo]

It looks like something grabbed the feathers and ripped them out.

I would consider putting something on it so the hens don't pick at him.

 

[NovaAman]

Looks ripped out all in one big rip! AND from both sides too! Oh the poor guy. I don't think hens would have done this... Not to that severity. Get blue kote to spray on him too.

Is there anyway something could have reached through the run and grabbed him?

 

[NovaAman]

Oh, and the hens feather loss looks to be mounting related. They may need saddles...

 

[CrzyCknLady]

I don't think anything could have reached in the run and grabbed him - I have hardware cloth about 14" up all around unless something climbed up the outside and happened to catch him while he was sitting on the roosting bars I have outside - but he usually sits in the middle so who knows...... I feel so bad for him!

Where do you get blue Kote from? Tractor supply? I do have a mini coop I can segregate him in - but then he won't be able to get outside of it at all because it does not have an enclosed run - but if I have to do that to him, I will......I feel so bad for him!

 

[NovaAman]

Yes sorry, from TSC.

You wouldn't have some one around who would do this to him would you? It is just so odd. I saw that you have hardware cloth from the picture. Those are so clearly ripped out, so much more than what a hen could do. He'd have fought back against the hen and she'd be hurt as well. It just looks like something grabbed him from both sides and RIPPED!

 

[CrzyCknLady]

Well - when we were looking around, the flock got outside of their enclosed run. Right before we went inside for dinner, something did this to one of my hens..........I thought they freaked out because Sam, my BR roo had pounced on a hen because I saw a flash of black & white - but I guess it was something else.

My husband said he has seen a skunk hanging around the past few days - but not near the coop - and we've killed two raccoons and a possum in the past month so it really could be any one of the three. Whatever it is, I'm going to get it and kill it before it kills one of my precious pets.





It ripped her skin - she seems fine though - a little shook up since she actually let me pick her up and carry her around after I sprayed her with antibiotic. She is now in quarantine with a hen who was missing a ton of rear end feathers.

Needless to say, the live traps are baited again, the game cam is set up and the rifle is at the ready.

 

[dracoe19]

I would definitely say a predator. I had quail succumb to the same thing. A rotten raccoon was reaching through the 1" holes in the fencing ripping them apart and trying to pull them through. Thankfully I saved 3 but the 4th wasn't so lucky . Hope you can catch the trouble maker who's doing this.

 

[NovaAman]

x2, I hope you get what ever it is that is doing this to your birds.