Beat up hen

I have 2 McCrea Roundhead game hens. My roo, Charlie, passed a few months ago and I have borrowed a Hatch roo from a friend. He has been in with the same hen that Charlie was with. She has not started laying yet but the other hen that was in a pen by herself has been laying for nearly a week. Last night I put her in with the other 2 so she could breed with the roo. I also wanted the pen she was in for my bantam roo, BJ, and a bantam hen. Today when I went to check them, the hen that has been in with the roo was about to tear the second hen to bits. I had to seperate them bodily and bring the injured hen in the house. All the feathers are gone from the back of her head and the skin torn away. I have put some neosporin on it because my sulfur salve and my purple spray are at the barn. I put some antibiotic in her water. The area is clean but I didn't want to take any chances. She has the same injuries BJ had except it is much worse because the Mcreas have hooked beaks. She looks to be doing well but I'm sure it hurts.

Oh NO! The poor thing! I had a naked neck get it's neck torn, but it was from a roo.. I freaked.. but it started healing so fast, I was really shocked.

I hope your hen heals fast and is better soon.

Poor baby. I didn't realize that a hen would be so possessive of a roo. I hope she gets better soon.

Ouch! =0(

She is doing well this morning. Making little cooing sounds like a pigeon. I take that to mean she is contented.

I bet the roo loved having the "girls" fight over him.

major ow ow ow!!! Bless her heart! Glad you got to her when you did, Cajun!

Gosh Cajun, I guess some ladies just aren't ladies at all. I'll bet Mr. Studley is just struting his stuff about now. Reminds me of smack down wrestling. LOL Take that you #%*&@# I'll show you *&%$#@. I hope she'll be alright. Hay

Now Hay....(gigglechortlesnort)

Her wound has dried up and looks to be healing quickly. It will be quite a while before her feathers grow back in.

I had a similar problem integrating my girls last year. I had to remove the roo while I put all the girls together. It worked well. Once the girls were okay I introduced him back into the group. When he was in with them, for some reason the girls were ruthless. When he was gone things went much more smoothly. They still established an order but no blood shed. (a few lost feathers though). I am not saying that would work for you, only it worked in my instance. I am glad she seems to be doing better. It looked real nasty!! Best of luck to you.

What you say makes plenty sense. I wonder if being game hens would make them more vicious with each other. I expect it out of the roos but it suprised me to see it in the hens also.

I have no experience with pure game hens. So I am not sure. You know who has game hens, Harmony, and I think ZZ and Catscan, I know there are more here. I just cant think. I bet they could tell the best way to integrate that breed. I sure hope they can all eventually get along. I am afraid the two girls may not get along together with the roo though. I wish I could help more, but without knowing the breed I am only guessing.

My only foray into game turned out to be some tiny little Serama-like bantams---but from what I've read, game hens can be extremely aggressive with other birds. Not all are--but some breeds are known to be, the Asil/Aseel, for example.

Right now I have a huge half-grown Jersey Giant pullet terrorizing a nearly full grown Naked Neck roo--and my Nankin pullets, one of the smallest of the bantams, will take on any bird, hen or roo, and never back down. They are the queens of the yard.

I have a friend who has Asils. The roos have to beat the hens before the hen will allow breeding. The hens will gang up on the stags and tear them to bits.

Saphire is doing well. Her wound is clean and dry now. She is still in the house and I think she really likes it here. I have her on a tie cord and put her out with the others but they are in pens and can't get to her. She picks grass all day and then comes in to a warm, dry house. I'll bet she sticks her tongue out at the other hen and clucks "nanny nanny boo boo" at her. LOL The other one still has not started laying.