Young chicken pulling roosters feathers out

Harpswell Coombs

In the Brooder
May 18, 2020
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3
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Hello All! My family and I are new to chickens, but we're having a lot of fun learning. A month ago, we got a 2-year old rooster who was given to us because an alpha-rooster was pulling out his breast feathers. The rooster is so kind and gentle, and has taken on a young flock of chicks ranging from the age of 8-10 weeks. We incorporated them together two weeks ago, and it went really well. He teaches them how to find food, sleeps with them, and guards them at all times. Although the roosters feathers that were previous pulled out started regrowing, I just noticed that one of the young birds in the flock just started pulling out the roosters feather in the same spot to the point where it is bloody. I witnessed the young chicken go after the roosters breast, and it seems like the rooster is not at all bothered by this. He doesn't try to get away or defend himself.

Has anyone seen this before, and what can I do to help? Should I get rid of the chicken that is causing this issue? Other than this one bird pecking the rooster, all other 14 young chickens are getting along really well.

Thank you for any help you can offer!
 
Thank you for your response. No, the young chicken is just pecking his chest as far as I have observed. He just walks around foraging and then runs up to the rooster and give his a few pecks to his chest and then goes back to foraging.
Might be eating the blood rich pin feathers coming in.
You could isolate the male, for at least most the day, until the feathers are fully grown out, couple of weeks. Once the feathers are grown out they should be less likely to want to eat them.
 
Is the young chicken trying to do the bump facing head-on to your rooster? It might be a cockerel play-challenging the rooster.

The rooster is not defending himself because the young chicken has no capability to actually fight.

Perhaps keep that young chicken apart from the others in a cage or small coop.
 
Thank you for your response. No, the young chicken is just pecking his chest as far as I have observed. He just walks around foraging and then runs up to the rooster and give his a few pecks to his chest and then goes back to foraging.
 

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