Wound by overzealous rooster!

[bjw113]

I have 12 Plymouth White Rocks & 12 Buff Orpingtons. All hatched May 17th. (approx 5 1/2 months old). Started getting 1 to 2 eggs a day about 2 weeks ago so I figure a few of my girls have started laying. Anyway, my BO Rooster seems to be quite aggressive with my girls. Some of the hens are very docile and don't make any fuss when he mounts them, BUT sometimes he is just rough. I had gone out to the hen house around 3:30 this afternoon, checking on the girls (collecting my 1 egg!) and all was well. Went back out an hour later and two of my hens (1 BO and 1 Rock) were bleeding from the back of their head. The Rock looks like my Roo got too close to her comb and was just a small amount of blood. She jumped up on my lap and let me examine her and she is fine. The Buff had quite a large area torn away from her scalp and alot of blood. She was NOT bleeding anymore when I examined her but the other hens were pecking at her. The feathers and skin are still there - just kinda a flap you can pull back and see the wound. My husband and I put her in a dog carrier (large one) with food and water and put her in with the other hens. She is acclimating fine and eating annd drinking - I just wanted to separate her and allow her time to heal.
Question 1 - will my Roo get gentler as he matures?? Or does he need to go to the stew pot (my husband threatened!)
Question 2 - what is the best treatment to put on the wound? Thought about cleaning it with hydrogen peroxide and putting hyrdocotisone on it?? Maybe just putting hydorcortisone cream on it? She is pretty docile, so it will be easy to treat her.
Appreciate any feedback.

 

[henney penny]

I had one that was like that and he only got worse with the hens if they would not submit then he would chase them down untill they would,needless to say he found a new home and was later chicken stew because he got mean to peaple to.

 

[Judy]

At my house, a roo that did that kind of damage would be separated then go to the freezer. I would not let him stay around long enough to find out.

Neosporin, or triple antibiotic ointment, is a better choice than hydrocortisone, which is basically just for itching. You could use peroxide for the initial cleaning but if you plan on cleaning it every day you need to find some saline. You can make it yourself, it's just salt and water, 1 tsp salt to a quart of water, or buy the kind for cleaning contacts. Peroxide will boil out dirt and germs but it also kills new cells. Betadine kills germs but, again, kills new cells. Actually the best procedure is peroxide ot Betdine, rinse off with saline, then a triple antibiotic ointment. Hydrocortisone would interfere to some extent with the chicken's ability to fight off germs.

 

[teach1rusl]

If he's the same age as the hens, he could mature and get better (more mannerly/gentle) with them. But as was mentioned, there's also a chance that he won't get any better, or that he could get worse. If it takes him months to "grow out of" this stage, can you and DH tolerate doctoring up hens for that period of time???
My allegiance is always to my hens, and I too have rehomed a (young) rooster who was overly zealous with my girls (bleeding combs, stressed hens). I went for an older rooster (2 yrs) the second time around. He also happens to be a bantam. The girls love him. He's top dog, but he's very discreet and my girls do very well with him. He's very protective of them when it comes to hawks and my various cats/dogs that run around, and he's good with people...not a pet, but not aggressive at all.

I'd just clean the area with water, and use just about any mild medicated cream on it. Hydro. cream should be fine. If you have access to Blue Kote, it is medicated, and colored so that it hides the wound a bit (to help prevent others from picking at it). TS carries it.

 

[bjw113]

Thanks. I meant neosporin cream not hydrocortisone when I orginially posted! OOPS! I've seen the Roo with hens that basically lay down for him, and he is ok BUT I've also seen him grab a girl (tonight) really close to her eye and it worries me that I won't be able to wait for him to grow up. He is really beautiful BUT I agree that my loyalty lies with the hens too! My girls are my babies (and my husbands too!). Really appreciate your input. We'll keep an eye on him for now, but any more injuries and I think he will need a new home. Thanks again!