Rooster Comb Bloody

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Question:

Rooster Comb Bloody: My rooster is bleeding from what I think u would call the mane (comb). Any reason for why?

Answer:
The usually red, fleshy, decoration on a roosters head, his comb, is filled with tiny blood vessels. Any injury to it can cause bleeding.

He may have been fighting with another rooster, if you have one, or a particularly bossy hen may have not been in the mood for his advances.

Other animals, that have access to the flock, could also inflict injury, especially carnivorous predators like: cats, dogs, hawks, raccoons, opossums, skunks, and even large rats.

In a clean and reasonably dry environment this should heal quickly and other than a bit of scarring, he should be as good as new.

You might want to apply an antibiotic ointment to aid in healing and watch for signs of other chickens pecking at this spot.

Chickens are naturally curious when seeing something out of the ordinary. If this spot is continually bothered by other chickens, the healing may take quite a while.

I would suggest watching the flock and deciding if he needs a break from the rest while this is healing. If you have more than one rooster, watch for signs of fighting.

A little sparring now and then is normal, but causing wounds can be a sign that these roosters shouldn’t live together.

Be on the alert for predators that might harm your flock. Look for signs of entry into the coop at night and set up a live trap if you suspect this might be a problem.

Most chicken predation occurs at night, when chickens are nearly blind and most vulnerable.

I would also check their environment for sharp wires, broken glass, jagged metals, nails or splintered wood of any kind.

It’s possible he scrapped his comb on something that needs to be repaired. Hope this helps solve the mystery.

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