Extreme Rooster Damage to Hen (Graphic-ish)!

[lmadeline146]

I’ve posted a few threads about how bad the damage is on one of my hens from a rooster. I’ve gotten the same responses such as “they’ll grow back when she molts, use a saddle” and similar. I have a saddle on her and I check daily to make sure it stays on her. The damage has gotten worse over time instead of improving and has spread onto her tail feathers and wings. I have hen healer ointment but I’m unsure if that would help. Please give me advice, I feel bad for my poor baby. One image is from a few months ago and the other is the damage now.

Her back usually isnt bright red but today it was before I replaced her saddle.

 

[sourland]

To me that looks more like feather pecking/plucking than rooster damage.

 

[lmadeline146]

To me that looks more like feather pecking/plucking than rooster damage.

It started with rooster damage because a few of my other hens also have missing back feathers but not as bad as this hen. Should I separate her from the flock? What should I do?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ve posted a few threads about how bad the damage is on one of my hens from a rooster. I’ve gotten the same responses such as “they’ll grow back when she molts, use a saddle” and similar. I have a saddle on her and I check daily to make sure it stays on her. The damage has gotten worse over time instead of improving and has spread onto her tail feathers and wings. I have hen healer ointment but I’m unsure if that would help. Please give me advice, I feel bad for my poor baby. One image is from a few months ago and the other is the damage now.

Her back usually isnt bright red but today it was before I replaced her saddle.

Do you still have 2 roosters with the hens?
Better saddles with wing protectors or reduction of roosters.
I would not separate her, separate roosters.
Damage of broken and rubbed off feathers will not be replaced until she molts. That's the way it works.

For months our 2 roosters have been mating with the hens a lot, so we got saddles for the hens. Majority of them look okay now and regrew their feathers.

 

[lmadeline146]

Do you still have 2 roosters with the hens?
Better saddles with wing protectors or reduction of roosters.
I would not separate her, separate roosters.
Damage of broken and rubbed off feathers will not be replaced until she molts. That's the way it works.

I’ve been trying to find a home for one of the roosters for a few weeks now, so I’ll keep looking.
I’ll look into a better saddle as well, thank you for the help.
Would any ointment help her? I hope she’s not in a lot of pain.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I’ve been trying to find a home for one of the roosters for a few weeks now, so I’ll keep looking.
I’ll look into a better saddle as well, thank you for the help.
Would any ointment help her? I hope she’s not in a lot of pain.

I never used ointment underneath the saddles, to me it seemed it would just create a warm moist environment and attract dirt.

Sometimes finding a new home for a rooster can be a challenge. If both of them are stressing the girls a lot, then separate out the rooster you are planning on rehoming. This will give them all a bit of peace.
He won't be too happy and will protest, but penning him in his own housing with food/water/shelter, he will be o.k.

 

[Mis pollitos]

I have a similar question to this line...only mine isn't a rooster causing the damage. It is one of my 3 chickens! She picks on one specific "victim" (a silver laced wyandotte)....she has feather loss all over her back, at the base of the tail it's down to skin; also on one "shoulder", most of her tail is missing. She also has an open sore on one foot....is there any "protective gear" for my Sweetie? I keep threatening the culpret with the soup pot! I would appreciate any help!!! Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a similar question to this line...only mine isn't a rooster causing the damage. It is one of my 3 chickens! She picks on one specific "victim" (a silver laced wyandotte)....she has feather loss all over her back, at the base of the tail it's down to skin; also on one "shoulder", most of her tail is missing. She also has an open sore on one foot....is there any "protective gear" for my Sweetie? I keep threatening the culpret with the soup pot! I would appreciate any help!!! Thank you

Photos?
As mentioned, saddles may be helpful.
A sore on the foot needs to be tended.
Check your victim over for lice/mite, make sure she's in fairly good health, crop emptying, get a fecal float to see if she needs to be dewormed, etc.

Some hens can just be bullies, but sometimes housing/space/feed can be some reasons for picking as well. Evaluate your setup to make sure that everyone is getting to food/water stations, that there's enough space to accommodate them especially when roosting.

 

[Mis pollitos]

Photos?
As mentioned, saddles may be helpful.
A sore on the foot needs to be tended.
Check your victim over for lice/mite, make sure she's in fairly good health, crop emptying, get a fecal float to see if she needs to be dewormed, etc.

Some hens can just be bullies, but sometimes housing/space/feed can be some reasons for picking as well. Evaluate your setup to make sure that everyone is getting to food/water stations, that there's enough space to accommodate them especially when roosting.

Thank you for your reply...Sweetie in good health, Luna (her attacker) has always been a bully. I put blinders on her and it helped for a bit last fall. Sweetie actually got her feathers back, her terribly injured foot healed...then it all started again. It's not AS severe as last year but I don't want it to get to that point. I have 3 chickens in a 7' x 10' coop with a 10' roost for the 3 of them. They also have a 7' x 14' enclosed (with 1/2" hardware cloth), covered run for whenever they want to go out. I also let them out to free range anytime I'm home (which is most of the time). I don't think space is an issue. I'm going to make her a saddle and take care of her foot. If need be, once it's healed, I'll keep it wrapped for a time and see if that breaks Luna's habit...
Any other suggestions would be very much appreciated!