Please Help, My rooster is pulling hen feathers out!!! Why???

[brwneggs]

Hi Opa,

Too much vinegar? I can go out dump it and use a lot less. I tend to over do it.
Unfortunatly, no- he just pulls their tail feathers out. Sometimes these 2 hens can be sitting on a roost, and he will randomly go by and pick their fluff out of the front of them. Its just these 2. Before it was just one, now he picks on two. They still gather around him, and I have seen no blood. He makes them jump when he does peck at them.
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[crazyhen]

How old is your roo? When mine was young he did that but after a full summer of being head roo he has quit it. I think he had to learn how to balance himself. He is a big roo. Gloria Jean

 

[brwneggs]

Hi Gloria,
My roo was born around the last week of Feb. and my roo is big too! Though, why would he pick on one and than another hen? Trying to understand roo 101. Linda

 

[crazyhen]

They always have a favorite hen ,poor thing. After awhile they will calm down some if you can stand it. If he is gentle to you , that is. I have a splash orp roo. and now he is so sweet to his ladies. He is a bit shy of me ;although he will take food from my hands drop it and call his ladies to eat it. Some times he does not even get to eat parrt of the treats. Gloria Jean

 

[brwneggs]

Gloria,
I hope he does get more nice. The girls are beautiful and coo when they come to me at the fence. He stands off more, and he watches me.

 

[crazyhen]

My roo is an orp. so I am not sure about isa browns. Maybe someone else will know their personalities better than me. Good luck. Gloria Jean

 

[brwneggs]

Could someone please give me the personality of an Isa Brown roo? If you would look back at the enteries posted, maybe an Isa brown expert could help a newbie understand her roo.

 

[skysong]

I originally got three Rhode Island Red laying hens. Then one went broody. So I got some fertilized eggs for her to sit on. Turned out to be two males and one female. So I gave the two males away. Then, what I thought was a female turned out to be a male. He's a Heinz 57, no such thing as a particular breed. Initially, everyone picked on him. Now he is DOMINATING all the hens and two of them are beginning to look bald where he is pulling the feathers out at the back of their heads. One is also missing feathers on her sides and back. Does he need more hens? Will this ever stop? All I want is happy, healthy hens and lots of eggs. Does this rooster need to go?

 

[Opa]

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Getting more hens won't necessarily correct the problem. The badly worn hen is his favorite and it will continue. You should separate her from him until she heals or use a saddle to protect her back. Unless you need the rooster for fertile eggs I would opt for getting rid of him.

 

[sunshinehs]

Why is my rooster pulling on my broddy hens feathers on her back end??