Another cannibal

chrismahon

chrismahon

Well-known member
Joined
May 17, 2011
Messages
5,116
Reaction score
39
Location
Gascony, France
When a cockerel has a damaged comb the hens pick the scabs off. Presumably in the wild this would prevent infection. Danger is they can get a taste of blood and begin to eat the comb. In extreme cases, which we have had with 3 Wyandottes and a Copper Star hybrid, they will eat the cockerel's comb without it having and scabs on -just for a feast. At that stage they have been despatched.

Generally when a cockerel has a damaged comb we now keep them separated until fully healed to avoid presenting temptation to the hens. Bottom (our pet Buff Orpington Cockerel) has been trying to get through the wire to Claude (avatar) and has damaged his comb. He gets stressed when separated, so I thought we would risk letting him out with his girls. Big mistake, as one of the hens has started to peck rather hard at the scabs and made them bleed. He came in yesterday covered in blood. Today the probable culprits were isolated only to then discover that the real culprit is one of the softest fluffiest mildest natured Orpington hens we have got. Bottom's own daughter actually. So now she will be separated from him and I hope none of the others start!

Is this a problem only we have, as I don't think I have ever heard of it from anyone else?
 
When mine 2 GLPF cockrels started to fight they have been covered in blood from tops of the combs to they toes and so the chicken cop.All flock was so traumatized by the incident that non of them was interested i eating them.I do not really think that they allowed them to do that as they been so aggressive.I do not know the answer to your question but maybe they crave something which is in the blood and not in they usual diet.Chicken learn from each other and have remacable memory.Do you think that they actually seen this behevior before,perhaps from the other 3 hens you had to dispatch?I gues you have to separete them for a while or use antipeck spray on the comb?
I'm not sure if pecking at the comb clacified right away as canibalism? :-)19
 
It can be quite a problem - probably where the term 'henpecked 'comes from. Some of mine peck at the earlobes, especially if they're white and draw blood. They peck a bit at the combs as well but mainly pull out feathers from around the neck. It'd very unusual for it to occur with mine to the extent you decribe but invariably it's when they're in the more confined area of a breeding pen. Out at free range or in the very big pens, it seldom occurs. Scabs are there to prevent infection so that the wound can granulate from beneath and heal so when they peck, it's not to prevent infection.
Anti peck spray might work but if not, they'd need to be seperated obviously.
 
Chris - I use purple spray on any cuts and red bits - it's the stuff the horsey people use for cuts etc. It covers the red well and usually stops the others from pecking at sores etc.
 
The purple stuff may be an idea Philcott. They use it on sheep as well so we have some somewhere.

Bottom is being eaten when free ranging. He was the victim of the Copper Star who almost ate right through his comb at one point!

The Wyandottes were separated for 3 months. They then went into a large run with a new cockerel (big softy Arnold) and 4 hours later had eaten half his rose comb. So they don't forget. Poor chap, his first girls as well! We got him some new ones when he had healed and they have all been fine together for over a year now. All our best feathered blue laced hens went cannibal. It's the offspring fron the hen that survived the fox attack so there must be something odd in that line and we won't breed from her again.
 
I used it on quail when the males damaged the females' heads when mating - no finesse when it comes to quail, they just grab hold of the head or neck and hang on, never mind if a beakful of skin comes away. In fact since yesterday's carnage I'm now down to an all-female group living peacefully together and laying more eggs since not tyrannised by the males. You have to be careful not to squirt it in their eyes - with small quail I wet a cotton bud with it and just dab it on.
 
When two of my hens fell out recently for some unknown reason, one of them ended up with a torn comb. I cleaned it up when it stopped bleeding and sprinkled white wound powder on it to cover the red areas. I used the purple spray previously for another injury and wished I hadn't! I found it fades to red, causing further problems with attention from the other birds and it was a permanent dye, so once it was on I couldn't get it off! I found the white wound powder a much better option.
 
Thanks for that Sue. Don't really want Botty to have more problems, but if used on the comb will it fade to the same red as the comb anyway? How long does it take to fade?
 
Perhaps different types fade to different colours? I've not had that problem - all mine have stayed purple, albeit a 'lighter shade of pale' . Can't remember what brand I used, as I am now using something that goes bright blue when sprayed on! (bought in the EU and not available here)
 
Mine is a Nettex spray specifically for poultry. My fingers have scrubbed back to pale purple from where I forgot to wear plastic gloves when cleaning up my injured quail yesterday!
I expect it's the same stuff they use for stamping your hand to prove you've paid when you attend a pop concert. Maybe what they use in developing countries so you can only vote once?
 
Chris, I suppose it wouldn't be such a problem on a red comb as long as you don't get any on the feathers. I had to spray my buff sussex on her back when Dotty was pecking her and the colour never disappeared until she moulted the old stained feathers out. Can't remember which one I used now as I threw it away! I prefer the powder now anyway as it disguises the injury very well and also prevents any infection. I just put more on as required.
 
Yes the veterinary wound powder is very useful to have around.
 
The purple spray I use is Net Tex Septicleanse which claims to be a cleanser and antibacterial spray. It does last for ages - I sprayed it on Basil's foot when he had an infected feather several months ago and it's still a bit purple. Also the feather has grown a much paler, almost bleached, colour but that may be due to the infection rather than the spray. Never had any of the girls pecking the boys combs though, and they have been particularly scabby this last week. One of my girls is well on the way to going bald with having her head gripped violently by the boys,now that spring is sprung. I was wondering whether you could put something that doesn't taste nice on it to put them off a bit? Chilli powder maybe :D Just joking..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top