Another cockerel thread

[Wolfie2]

Relatively new flock. Most of the hens are about 1 yr. old. Have a black maran rooster and hen which I'm not sure of their age. I would think 12 hens would be enough to satisfy 1 rooster's sexual appetite But he must be one horny bugger I have 9 out of the 12 hens which have thin feather coats or bare patches on their backs. They have not gotten to the point where there is blood but I'm till concerned. While in their pen (32 X 16) he is constantly pestering them. I turn them out into a 1 acre fenced area to "free range", usually somewhere around noon. He is not as feisty when they are not in the their pen. I'm guessing they can give him enough room for them to escape his attention.
Recently I have been letting them out earlier, say around 8 am or so and their feather situation has not gotten any better but not worse either.
I can think of only 2 situations that would help further. One is to get rid of him but, otherwise he is a good rooster. Keeping a careful watch over his harem while in the pasture and he makes sure all the girls are back in the run in the evening before he goes in. The other is to quarantine him while in the coop and let him out while they are in the pasture.
I don't really need a rooster. I can easily replace any bird that needs replacing but kinda like havin hin around. Any suggestions?
Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I would try option 2. Keep him separated till they are free ranging till he is less of a pestering force.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would suggest checking his feet and nails. But mostly bare backed chickens bother people way more than they bother chickens. How do your girls act around him, are they laying steadily? If they love him, and are laying, they are telling you it is fine. And I would leave him be.

Side note, the feathers will not heal up, until they molt. Come January, they will look fine.

Mrs K

 

[canne50]

I had a very randy rooster once. The favorite girls were going back bald. I made aprons or saddles for them. The high dessert sun can burn quickly. I left them covered most of the time until the fall molt and they began to get new feathers.

 

[Aapomp831]

You could have 200 chickens and he would still overmate his favorites