Roo VS Hen Help

[jnbelknap]

I have a flock of 28 hens and one rooster. My roo is a total gentleman. That is, until recently. After her third hatch, I have tried reintroducing my buff Orpington back into the flock. I've tried everything for now two months, but for some reason, my roo is suddenly aggressive towards this hen. She hides constantly. He has cut her comb, eyelid, and head.

What can I do? These two have been together since they were a day old for two years now. I love my rooster, but this is my favorite hen. He does not fight with any of the 27 other hens.

Any suggestions? Thank you for your help.

 

[hotmessJess]

I came to ask a similar question! I have a black australorp who is brutalized by my roosters. They will fight each other while trying to mount her; they've torn her saddle feathers out. They don't do that with my other females. It's horrible to watch and she's constantly running off to hide. I've put a chicken apron on her (I was suggested blue kote, but our farm supply didn't have any), but they still single in on just her.

I really hope, like you, someone here has some seeds of wisdom, because I love this hen to pieces and hate that she's being hurt and isolated!

Hope this picture of her in an apron will cheer you up, though!

 

[keesmom]

I have a flock of 28 hens and one rooster. My roo is a total gentleman. That is, until recently. After her third hatch, I have tried reintroducing my buff Orpington back into the flock. I've tried everything for now two months, but for some reason, my roo is suddenly aggressive towards this hen. She hides constantly. He has cut her comb, eyelid, and head.

What can I do? These two have been together since they were a day old for two years now. I love my rooster, but this is my favorite hen. He does not fight with any of the 27 other hens.

Any suggestions? Thank you for your help.

What have you tried so far? Have you tried tossing him in chicken jail out of sight for a while?

 

[keesmom]

I came to ask a similar question! I have a black australorp who is brutalized by my roosters. They will fight each other while trying to mount her; they've torn her saddle feathers out.

How many males do you have and how many hens? Free ranged or confined?

 

[murphyfarm]

I came to ask a similar question! I have a black australorp who is brutalized by my roosters. They will fight each other while trying to mount her; they've torn her saddle feathers out. They don't do that with my other females. It's horrible to watch and she's constantly running off to hide. I've put a chicken apron on her (I was suggested blue kote, but our farm supply didn't have any), but they still single in on just her.

I really hope, like you, someone here has some seeds of wisdom, because I love this hen to pieces and hate that she's being hurt and isolated!

Hope this picture of her in an apron will cheer you up, though!

I have a flock of 28 hens and one rooster. My roo is a total gentleman. That is, until recently. After her third hatch, I have tried reintroducing my buff Orpington back into the flock. I've tried everything for now two months, but for some reason, my roo is suddenly aggressive towards this hen. She hides constantly. He has cut her comb, eyelid, and head.

What can I do? These two have been together since they were a day old for two years now. I love my rooster, but this is my favorite hen. He does not fight with any of the 27 other hens.

Any suggestions? Thank you for your help.

I would trim the roosters spurs so they are not as sharp, it does not hurt the rooster, or if you can bear it, get rid of a rooster or two, and ease the poor hens into the coop by setting up an area inside the coop for her so she can see everyone and everyone can see her but not hurt her. Best wishes!!

 

[jnbelknap]

I have kept the hen in an enclosure beside the coop separated with chicken wire. I have put her in the roost at night to try the "wake up as a flock" thing. I completely removed the hen and then reintroduced. Things were fine for about a week, and now we are back at it.

I have not tried removing the rooster. The flock free-ranges, so he is their protector, but I am definitely open to it. What is that supposed to change? How long?

Do you think I need another rooster for a flock of 28 hens?

 

[jnbelknap]

He is spurless. He pecks her head while mounting. Only this one hen.

I only have one rooster and 28 hens of varying ages.

 

[hotmessJess]

How many males do you have and how many hens? Free ranged or confined?

They're all free range and I have 6 hens. It's really only two roosters (I have a bunch of young cockerels that aren't going to be around long enough to be interested). I know that's still a high roo to hen ratio, but this is the first time I've had a problem and it's just the one hen. I don't know what it is about her.

I think I'm going to process the one rooster. I'm on the fence about the other. I just think it's really odd that they singled in on her.

 

[jnbelknap]

I came to ask a similar question! I have a black australorp who is brutalized by my roosters. They will fight each other while trying to mount her; they've torn her saddle feathers out. They don't do that with my other females. It's horrible to watch and she's constantly running off to hide. I've put a chicken apron on her (I was suggested blue kote, but our farm supply didn't have any), but they still single in on just her.

I really hope, like you, someone here has some seeds of wisdom, because I love this hen to pieces and hate that she's being hurt and isolated!

Hope this picture of her in an apron will cheer you up, though!

Aw. Poor girl. I tried the apron thing when my rooster was over mounting, but that's not a problem for me anymore because I have so many hens to distract him.

If I were you, I would get rid of the more aggressive rooster.

 

[hotmessJess]

Aw. Poor girl. I tried the apron thing when my rooster was over mounting, but that's not a problem for me anymore because I have so many hens to distract him.

If I were you, I would get rid of the more aggressive rooster.

I've found that aprons are of limited use with an overzealous rooster, but they do keep the other hens from pecking at a sore bottom. And they're pretty darn cute!