Roosters Missing Tail Feathers

[RoosterTim]

This weekend I shot a rooster with out any tail feathers. I have seen this before and was wondering if anyone knows why this could be. I have heard in the past that once a rooster is past his prime the others dominant ones will pull them out and have been also told that they can freeze to the ground and get pulled out. Any one have any info on this?

 

[cheesy]

Its always fun when your buddies are yelling that you shot a hen, and you show them the ring-neck.

 

[uplandgameadventures]

Preditor?

Coyotes, fox, etc probably leaped for it as it flushed. They hold tight enough...it'll likely happen. My dad's Weim did that about 4 years ago. He was on point - bird held tight under fallen tree. It struggled to escape the over hanging branches but got clear without it's tail in tact. feathers were Weim's mouth.

 

[southernblues]

maybe somebody's pen raised phez got out...pen raised ones will nick them feathers off

 

[blueweim]

last year a buddy missed a rooster but he shot all the tail feathers off. The bird never even skipped a beat. The joke was he probably saved that roosters life for the rest of the year.

 

[mnmthunting]

Yup, for sure a close call. Yote, fox, or a close shotgun blast a bit back.

 

[Gatzby]

My 5 year old BLM catches a lot of wild birds. He has on occasion only returned with tail feathers! The other meathead, 2 year old YLM can only do it at the game farm.

 

[Houston54]

That was one of the new hybrid roosters I have heard about. They have evolved through a survival instinct to not have any tail feathers.

 

[jmac]

That was one of the new hybrid roosters I have heard about. They have evolved through a survival instinct to not have any tail feathers.

Ha Ha Ha lol Thats a good one

 

[KsHusker]

Not sure on all the causes but Ive personally witnessed many birds missing tails (hens included) after a severe ice storm we had in western KS in a localized area about 3 or 4 years ago. Damn'dest thing I have ever seen. Im sure a lot of birds died that night from the ice.

Ive also killed some really old birds that didnt have much of a tail, not sure if something got ahold of them or if they were just molting.


Id also give credence to another animal catching ahold of the tail and the bird getting away, sans tail feathers.

Id bet the tails freezing to the ground would be responsible for most missing tails seen. Just a hypothesis.