To Roo or not to Roo

[Mrs. K]

Don't keep any bird that does not work for your or your flock.

As for bare backs, I think they bother people more than chickens. Some hens are very prone to barebacks, and some are not. People tend to blame the rooster, but often times it is partially the genetic make up of the hens. If you don't like bare backs, don't have a rooster.

Mrs.K

 

[lazy gardener]

Don't keep any bird that does not work for your or your flock.

As for bare backs, I think they bother people more than chickens. Some hens are very prone to barebacks, and some are not. People tend to blame the rooster, but often times it is partially the genetic make up of the hens. If you don't like bare backs, don't have a rooster.

Mrs.K

Agreed. Some hens just have poor feather quality.

 

[Stephine]

Yes, I do think my Brahma roo is a bit clumsy. Before he started mounting the hens, I had a Welsummer alpha roo (same age just maturing much faster than the Brahma and thus becoming the alpha) who mounted the hens just as much with absolutely no signs of wear on the hens. The feathers just started coming off after the Welsummer was gone (he was aggressive to me). I thought the Brahma's technique might improve, but I don't feel I can wait for that with all those hens going bare.
I don't think it is bad feather quality in the hens at all, I have all kinds of different breeds(SS, BR, RIR, GLW, WS and Brahmas), two of each and interestingly he has worn out the feathers on one of each of them...

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Agreed. Some hens just have poor feather quality.

Yes indeed. Fluffy feathers are prone to bare back birds. My birds need better feather quality and something to work on in the flock.

 

[Stephine]

Yes indeed. Fluffy feathers are prone to bare back birds. My birds need better feather quality and something to work on in the flock. 

Yeah, it's not the feather quality in my case...

 

[LeroySouthpaw]

@oldhenlikesdogs , my experience with chickens has the plucked feathers growing back prior to molt on all but one hen. I'm pretty sure she was plucking her own feathers, because I would see pin feathers coming in, then they would be gone. After her molt, however, she was glorious!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

@oldhenlikesdogs
, my experience with chickens has the plucked feathers growing back prior to molt on all but one hen.  I'm pretty sure she was plucking her own feathers, because I would see pin feathers coming in, then they would be gone.  After her molt, however, she was glorious!

Thank you for that information.

 

[Stephine]

Update: So I gave away my Brahma room to a nice lady with a free ranging flock who was looking for a room for hawk protection. I know he can do the job as long as the ladies listen to him and have enough cover. Last thing I heard was that she had just put him in with her hens that night (

) and that he chased the girls around a bit and they all seemed fine. She let them all out the next day and the girls were following him around and everyone looked happy. So, that's good. (I just hope he remembers where the coop is at night!)
I went ahead and ordered three SFH, one roo, two hens. One died shortl y after arrival, and they weren't marked, so now I am hoping I still have a roo!! I guess I just have to wait a little bit to find out.... and I sure hope third try is the charm...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Glad you found a good home for him.

 

[Stephine]

Glad you found a good home for him.

Thank you! Yes, I am, too. The girls are much calmer without him. Especially the last week there were rows every morning between him and my BR hen. I used to lock them out of the coop in the morning so I could move around without a rooster eyeing me suspiciously, and there were always squawks and screams and squabbles from the pen while I refilled feed and cleabed up. I'd usually check at least once to see what on earth was going in out there (of course with them all seeing me as a giant treat dispenser they'd just drop whatever they were doing and stare at me when I approached, so I couldn't ever tell). Now? Blissful quiet.
Also some feathers are coming back in on all if them - yay! No more naked chickens soon!