loopycoops
In the Brooder
Hello everyone!
I'm in Tasmania (Australia), and attempting to breed Australorp chickens.
I've got several coops and runs, but having trouble with one small group.
I purchased 3x roosters and introduced them to 8 hens about 8 weeks ago. The roosters are about a year old, and the hens about 8 months or so.
All seemed well until it turned out what I thought was a hen turned out to be a rooster, and one of the new 3x roosters appears to have pecked it to death overnight. Nearly 100% confident it was a rooster and not a hen or a predator as my flock is locked up tightly and surrounded by electric chicken netting.
Several weeks later I heard an incredibly loud "owwwww owwww owwww" coming from one of the hens, and a rooster was pecking her back. I had a look and the rooster (or more than one, not sure?) had pecked a very large area of feathers away and you could see the flesh underneath.
I separated the injured hen and she is recovering very nicely. Before being separated, she wasn't getting out as often as the other hens to eat and I was worried she was getting bullied.
Unfortunately, it looks like two other hens are now the target (see photo of one of them).
When I went into the coop tonight, one hen was on the ground and was/is quite badly injured. Lots of feathers missing. I put her in with the recovering hen and it looks like she has an injury to her leg as well.
Is this normal?
I don't understand why there is such aggression going on here. I can only guess the main culprits is one (or more) of the roosters as previously mentioned.
What would you do?
There are now five hens that stick quite tightly with the three roosters, and none of those five appear to be getting pecked the way these others have.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
-Richarda
I'm in Tasmania (Australia), and attempting to breed Australorp chickens.
I've got several coops and runs, but having trouble with one small group.
I purchased 3x roosters and introduced them to 8 hens about 8 weeks ago. The roosters are about a year old, and the hens about 8 months or so.
All seemed well until it turned out what I thought was a hen turned out to be a rooster, and one of the new 3x roosters appears to have pecked it to death overnight. Nearly 100% confident it was a rooster and not a hen or a predator as my flock is locked up tightly and surrounded by electric chicken netting.
Several weeks later I heard an incredibly loud "owwwww owwww owwww" coming from one of the hens, and a rooster was pecking her back. I had a look and the rooster (or more than one, not sure?) had pecked a very large area of feathers away and you could see the flesh underneath.
I separated the injured hen and she is recovering very nicely. Before being separated, she wasn't getting out as often as the other hens to eat and I was worried she was getting bullied.
Unfortunately, it looks like two other hens are now the target (see photo of one of them).
When I went into the coop tonight, one hen was on the ground and was/is quite badly injured. Lots of feathers missing. I put her in with the recovering hen and it looks like she has an injury to her leg as well.
Is this normal?
I don't understand why there is such aggression going on here. I can only guess the main culprits is one (or more) of the roosters as previously mentioned.
What would you do?
There are now five hens that stick quite tightly with the three roosters, and none of those five appear to be getting pecked the way these others have.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
-Richarda
Post here so we can help 
