Rooster over-mating hens

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MaggieRae

MaggieRae

Crowing
15 Years
Apr 12, 2009
2,304
49
331
North Texas
I love my rooster and I don't want to get rid of him, but he's over mating the hens. He's too rough and I have 3 hens with either bare or getting there backs, and one going bald. I've bought saddles but putting them has created massive chaos and they don't help the balding hens (in fact we took the saddle off the one hen we got it on because she reacted so terribly). Is there anything I can do? I don't want to get rid of him, but will if I have to. (I'm about to post a for sale thread for him, but I thought I might explore other options I may have not tried first.)
 
I understand. I am in the same predicament. I like my rooster too but the hens are looking horrible and I have enough hens for him!
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I think he may be too aggresive but I don't want to get rid of him if he'll improve or I am jumping the gun. I don't know what to tell you as I don't know what to tell myself but if you figure out an idea PLEASE let me know. I am stuck between a rock and a hard place if you know what I mean.
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Sometimes spur trimming can help. It did not solve my problem and I had to go with the saddles, but some people say it has helped them. You can also try trimming the toe nails. I may be trying that soon. Sometimes, as the rooster matures, he learns a better technique. When the hens stop resisting so much, the damage is less. That, too, should come with age of the hens somewhat, but part of it is that your rooster has to dominate the hens so they will accept his advances.

This thread talks about spur trimming. I used the dremel tool and it was like cutting thick toenails. I drew absolutely no blood and the rooster acted like he did not feel a thing. I did not get too close to the leg however. With the white legs of my Sussex, I could see where the meaty part stopped and the horny toenail like stuff started. That might be harder with a darker legged chicken. I wrapped him in a towel to keep him under control.

Trimming Spurs Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=92697
 
I think its time for a new rooster if you really can't get a few more hens. I bought some hens that were badly overbred by another rooster at the farm they were at and I was worried I might have to get a saddle for them and just thinking about saddling a hen and how traumatic that might be for both parties involved, well I am very glad that the hens are molting and growing back their feathers with no interference from my seemingly well behaved rooster.
 
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I've noticed that two of my hens' whose backs were bare have feathers growing back. I wonder if technique is improving, or they've stopped fighting...
 
My roo only has one hen, but she's the boss and she has always had all her feathers. Wonder why somtimes, not that I'm complaining:smack
 
I cant stand when roosters are over aggresive towards their ladies. One time i had a rooster that mated a hen with chicks! He rubbed me wrong before and after that inccodent i shot him on the spot! If it was me id get rid of him and buy a nice gentlemen
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I have one rooster and a dozen full-grown hens. He's just about a year old, and after an attack this spring (in which he successfully protected the entire flock, despite losing his tail feathers) he's become far more aggressive toward the hens. My hens' backs are looking pretty beaten up at this point. The rooster is nearly impossible to catch, and will attack if we try to hold him, so I'm not sure we'll be able to trim nails or spurs effectively. Short of killing him... any other ideas?
 

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