The Poultry Keeper

Sandra Hilton · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject: Cockerel damage

I bought a new cockerel and his mate (who isn't laying so I presume that he hasn't had a love life for a while). I only have 4 other silkies who are large miniatures, 3 of those are broodie, leaving one on her own and laying. Of course as soon as I let the cockerel out jumped on her, the only thing was that he didn't want to get off her and she was screaming and terrfied. So I got him off and decided that I would put him in with my warrens, so that he could have more girls.

Everything seemed fine, then when I was fastening them up last night I noticed that he was shaking his head from side to side. Had another good look at him in the coop this morning when again, he was shaking his head (still is).

I noticed a little blood on his wing, I picked him up and the warrens seem to have all turned on him because they have pulled out most of his tail feathers and some are broken and bleeding. There is also some pecking damage to his tail itself. I bathed him and sprayed him with antiseptic spray and brought him into the house. He is eating and drinking so I don't think that he is too bad. But is anyone has any ideas on how best to treat him especially about the head shaking, could you let me know please?

Thanks a lot

Sandra

thehenman · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 171 Location: lincolnshire

my cockerels are always head shaking ,i think they all do it Very Happy

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1178 Location: Manchester

does he look distressed when he's head shaking - like he's trying to dislodge something?

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3018 Location: Monmouthshire

Head shaking can be a reaction to stress. You see it a lot at sales and shows.

Sandra Hilton · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 10:08 pm Post subject:

That'll be what it is then I bet! Poor thing. No he doesn't look at all distressed and I hadn't seen him do it at all until last night. Maybe the girls were starting to gang up on him then? It has been a funny day today as well, lots of squabbles going on in the garden, I have broken up a few little scraps between two groups of warrens and I have never had a squabble before at all! Can't understand it, maybe it is the hot weather??

Anyway Fred has been in the house in a cage all day. I will have a look tomorrow and take him in to the vet if it still looks a mess.

thanks everyone

S x

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1178 Location: Manchester

It could be because the pecking order has been a little shaken up with moving the roo around a bit.

it should settle down in a couple of days

Sandra Hilton · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 12:23 am Post subject:

I do hope so, I want to put these PoL Warrens in with the older ones and only had them in separate coops until they had settled down and got used to seeing each other around in the garden for a while, but that will have to wait now, I can't risk moving anyone else in with those bullies for a while. Wink

At least there are 9 of them so I won't have to worry about a couple of them being picked on unmercifully.

S x

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3018 Location: Monmouthshire

I do a major muck out of the house in which I intend to combine two lots of birds. Spray it with a fairly smelly disinfectant - Jeyes is good for this - put in pleanty of clean shavings in the late afternoon before the current incumbents go to roost, and add the extras after dark. By morning, they all so relieved to get out into the fresh air, they forget they haven't been introduced before they slept together.