Aggressive Roosters Are Defeathering Hens

[blueshirt8876]

I have two Buff Orpington roosters along with seven other hens and my roosters are causing the hens' back to loose feathers. I've noticed about three or four months ago that my where loosing feathers on their backs, I knew why. It wasn't serious though, they always had time to grow them back. Now that it's winter and they are inside almost full time they are mating like crazy and my smallest chicken has a small patch of skin showing on their back. I've tried chicken saddles but they either flop to the side, making them useless, or its to uncomfortable for the chicken. What do I do?!?!? Will "chicken glasses" work???

 

[cowcreekgeek]

I have two Buff Orpington roosters along with seven other hens and my roosters are causing the hens' back to loose feathers. I've noticed about three or four months ago that my where loosing feathers on their backs, I knew why. It wasn't serious though, they always had time to grow them back. Now that it's winter and they are inside almost full time they are mating like crazy and my smallest chicken has a small patch of skin showing on their back. I've tried chicken saddles but they either flop to the side, making them useless, or its to uncomfortable for the chicken. What do I do?!?!? Will "chicken glasses" work???

The 'chicken glasses' are for preventing them from peckin' on one another. I can't think of anything, save for self-restraint, that stops any male from doin' what males do ... unless ... do you have a roaster large enough for both roosters?

1947 Newsreel about Chicken Glasses
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You might consider workin' on the roosters nails and/or spurs ...
>> peck here << for more.

 

[Lisa202]

I don't think the peepers will help as these roosters are not pecking at the feathers. I think the problem is that you don't have enough hens per rooster. The hens are being mated too much which is leading to the feather loss when the rooster mounts them. I had a hen that was a favorite of my rooster and the same thing happened to her...until he started to mate with all of them equally. You either need to get more hens or get rid of 1 rooster. I'm surprised the roosters aren't fighting with each other....yet. You need about 10 to 15 hens per rooster.

 

[mmktdox]

I don't think the peepers will help as these roosters are not pecking at the feathers. I think the problem is that you don't have enough hens per rooster. The hens are being mated too much which is leading to the feather loss when the rooster mounts them. I had a hen that was a favorite of my rooster and the same thing happened to her...until he started to mate with all of them equally. You either need to get more hens or get rid of 1 rooster. I'm surprised the roosters aren't fighting with each other....yet. You need about 10 to 15 hens per rooster.

X2!

 

[blueshirt8876]

If possible I don't want to get rid of any chickens

 

[Fred's Hens]

In that case, I'd put the roosters into a bachelor pad until you figure things out. Let your hens recover, think it through and decide what you're next step may be. What you're doing now isn't working for you, or you wouldn't have posted this concern. Best wishes.

 

[gryeyes]

Chicken aprons (sounds better than "saddles" to me) worked in my flock. I had to buy heavier cloth aprons after the first one flopped around too much. Denim is nice for this, especially if it's one of two layers of cloth... Just a lined apron.

One of my hens wore her apron for four months. Feathers grew back under it just fine.

Alternately, get more hens so your boys have more ladies to mount, spreading around their attentions.