Young Rooster needs help.

[Funny Farm Colorado]

Our big bird is a 6 month old Buff and just this week had His tail feathers pecked out! Old Red hen is to blame, 4 year old Rhode Island. She had always been food oriented but today when feeding her meal worms thought she was going to break my skin open. So back to Big Bird....he suffers from crooked toe and can’t roost, or never tried. I can place him on the roost But he is always laying down in a corner at night. I was thinking of rebuilding the coop with something more accessible for him but high enough the ladies get the drift. For now red hen and her number two have ben removed so Big Bird can heal and act the part with the other hens. I plan on reintroducing number two and a few days later Old Red hen, once my boy has healed. I just don’t understand why all of the sudden this happened, they have been living together for 4 months. Only thing i can think is Old Red hen Slowed down and almost stopped laying. So how do I help Big Bird and not make Old red feel obsolete?

 

[Tonyroo]

I've never met a docile RIR, the ones I had were aggressive they bullied my ducks and leghorns, even my rooster. So now I don't bother with that breed at all. If it's possible to keep them separated, I would do it in your case.

 

[birdlover2]

I don't know...chicken pecking order tends to work itself out over time. Is the roo new to the flock? Sounds like Old Red WAS the boss before Big Bird came around and now she's jealous and trying to retain control to me. She's used to being in charge without a roo around, and she doesn't appreciate the change. Maybe it's just that all the sudden she sees he's a roo and he's got big fancy tail-feathers and she realizes he's a threat for the first time. Hens tend to peck out tail feathers to say they're the boss. My mother currently has a hen that goes around pecking out the other hens' tail feathers. I guess it's a way to degrade the competition.... Perhaps she's trying to let you also know she's the boss, or perhaps she's complaining about Big Bird, of course this only applies if Big Bird is fairly new to the flock and you haven't had a roo before in this flock.

 

[Funny Farm Colorado]

I've never met a docile RIR, the ones I had were aggressive they bullied my ducks and leghorns, even my rooster. So now I don't bother with that breed at all. If it's possible to keep them separated, I would do it in your case.

Can do have separate retirement quarters!

 

[aart]

The Polish cannot see well either.
Are those the roosts to the right?

 

[Funny Farm Colorado]

The Polish cannot see well either.
Are those the roosts to the right?

No hens same age as him. Have 3 more hend age 2 and the old hen age 4. Should i trim his head feathers?

I don't know...chicken pecking order tends to work itself out over time. Is the roo new to the flock? Sounds like Old Red WAS the boss before Big Bird came around and now she's jealous and trying to retain control to me. She's used to being in charge without a roo around, and she doesn't appreciate the change. Maybe it's just that all the sudden she sees he's a roo and he's got big fancy tail-feathers and she realizes he's a threat for the first time. Hens tend to peck out tail feathers to say they're the boss. My mother currently has a hen that goes around pecking out the other hens' tail feathers. I guess it's a way to degrade the competition.... Perhaps she's trying to let you also know she's the boss, or perhaps she's complaining about Big Bird, of course this only applies if Big Bird is fairly new to the flock and you haven't had a roo before in this flock.

The flock was without a roo for 8 months. Red hen was definitely running things. Big Bird pecks her feet and wont let he near food. Also trying to mount her with no success. I may let him heal up and try a reintroduce.

 

[Funny Farm Colorado]

Update. We reintroduce All the chickens and revamped the coop. Added a flock block and more roosting spots, and everything was great for a few weeks. Yesterday i found the back of Big bird head had been pecked! I pick him up from the floor where he roosts nighty and put him in his new penthouse. I have been administering no peck ointment. Today i plan on watching for the hens responsible. I fear this will not end and Big Bird will have to be removed for good. Not sure what else can be done so they can all live together

 

[Mrs. K]

Being raised together really has no effect. Sometimes you just get a bird that does not fit in, or that is unreasonably aggressive in that coop/run. The best solution is to remove one of the birds. Sometimes you remove the bully, sometimes the victim. Trial and error.

But it is really not your fault, and while I do not have it happen often, sometimes it just does. Always solve for peace in the flock.

Mrs K