If you are on the northern side of the planet, the days are growing shorter, to short, most will shut down or at least slow down for the winter. I use lights to keep my girls laying, I dont sell eggs so I only up the hours to 13.5 per day. This keeps enuf girls laying to keep me in eggs. Some...
High protein feed is good to help them grow those feathers back. Once they are ready they need at least 13.5 hours of light to tell them it's time to lay eggs again (some want more hours up to 15)
High protein feed is good while they molt to help them grow those feathers back. First hard molt happens at 18-22 months old. I also run lights in the winter to maintain 13.5 hours of light ( some do 14-15) which helps keeps them laying (@ 13.5 hours not all will lay) Good luck!
Just a guess, maybe she is the leader (dominant) and he is almost ready to take over and she does not like that. IF that is the case it should work its self out, but do keep an eye on them!
LOL, now there's a plan! Just order some chicks and they will come with "heaters" also known as cockerel for free!
IF you were a bit closer I would give you a roo, I have some really pretty EE's!
I dont use any heat as it is the number 1 way to burn down your coop.
The reptile bulb produces UVB which is harmful to their eyes and ours, do bloke it so they cannot see the bulb.
I put up a fence to create a "no poo zone" as long as I keep the gate closed it works,,, I have many hiding places for them to use.
I had a hen that decided the sofa was a great place to lay her eggs, there is a baby gate across that door now when it is open.
One issue I see with steel wool is rust, it is not going to last long.
If you have a machine shop near by, you might ask if they have shavings from stainless steel you could get,,, it will be heavier than the wool but wont rust out. It will also be sharp, handle with care!
I sold a few birds to my sister, with a rooster. She said they did not want him, and I told her "then eat him"! Once home they fell in luv with him and now wonder why they did not want one! But he has a really good personality,, not all do.
Good luck!
Most consider "culling" to be beheading, I myself consider it removing 1 from the flock as in re-homing, I do eat a few roo's.
So if you can re-home this bird, or IF you can have and want a rooster (they may fight for top place, and would be a trade off as to who crows). Re-homing would be the...
I do rotate birds, I dont do it exactly by age, though it is mostly the older girls I get rid of. I have a hen going on 10YO, I could not think of the yard without her. I get rid of the girls I dont want chicks from ('cept that old gal), mostly right after they finish molting. I sell them off to...
I myself do not know, I have never tried to stop a rooster from crowing, and I dont think my rooster would except a hen crowing.
There are many threads here about these collars