Treading Injury

[RichmondHens]

Well it had to happen didn't it. Having been concerned that my IG cock was not managing to tread his girls I unfortunately discovered one of his hens with massive treading injuries on BOTH sides this morning. The second hen has scratches but nothing worse. Have removed both hens and put the ok one in with another group (smaller lighter cock, not IG) and the injured one in "hospital", bathed and given antibiotics.

I have three IG eggs collected over the last two days which I will incubate to see if I can get anything, but it looks like my plan of breeding my own IGs has been dashed as I daren't put these girls back in with him (I've given him an old Welsummer for company who is more his size).

Question for Polly Fouracre - Do you put a saddle on Trevor's hens? Does he cut them up very much?

[polo]

That's a shame, hoipe you can get it sorted. What breed were the girls? They sound like they were smaller?

Polo

[chris]

Stupid question, but I assume treading = erm, mounting?

[RichmondHens]

That's a shame, hoipe you can get it sorted. What breed were the girls? They sound like they were smaller?

Polo

They are Indian Game the same as him, they are a breeding trio. From asking around it seems there is quite a size difference in LF indian game, and I think what I have is a particularly large cock with possibly slightly smaller than normal hens, although the hens are LF. I had had my concerns about the size of the hens earlier in the year but in the end decided to go ahead and put them with him as I had had zero success last year of hatching any other girls (he had been running with Sussex and Welsummer girls which crossed with him produced some nice meat birds).

Update is that this morning I watched him tread the Welsummer I put in his pen to keep him company and he launched himself on her from quite a distance, she shook him off and ran for cover into the house. I caught her and checked for damage and already there is a small scratch/scab which I think she probably got from him yesterday afternoon. I'm hoping he will settle down a bit and act more gentlemanly in a few days. He was much more gentle last year and didn't damage anyone so I'm a bit perplexed as to why he is behaving so roughly now.

[RichmondHens]

Stupid question, but I assume treading = erm, mounting?

Yep! Technical term. When you watch them "do it" they stand with their feet on the hen's shoulders literally treading on them.

[chris]

Yep! Technical term. When you watch them "do it" they stand with their feet on the hen's shoulders literally treading on them.

Ah, yeah. I've the same battle scars.

[OverWyreGrower]

Update is that this morning I watched him tread the Welsummer I put in his pen to keep him company and he launched himself on her from quite a distance, she shook him off and ran for cover into the house. I caught her and checked for damage and already there is a small scratch/scab which I think she probably got from him yesterday afternoon. I'm hoping he will settle down a bit and act more gentlemanly in a few days. He was much more gentle last year and didn't damage anyone so I'm a bit perplexed as to why he is behaving so roughly now.

Might he need his claws filing/trimming? Although ours are fairly free range, one of the cockerels seems to have very sharp claws - not spurs - and so every so often in the spring and summer, we gently file the sharp points off them. It doesn't seem to hinder his treading ability, and he doesn't seem to damage the girls as much either...

[Mikey]

Ah, yeah. I've the same battle scars.

Nah, them be thumb prints mate.