At what point do you stop your Roo?

[maggiemooscluckers]

My Roo is really good with the girls but he is favoring three pullets and is wearing their back feathers off during mating. I'm really not sure of what to do about it. My one roo has 8 pullets to choose from. I have seen him with each pullet. I could separate him from the girls for awhile but I hesitate to do that since he is so good to watch out for the girls. Is there something that I can do to help out the feather situation without separating them?

 

[gritsar]

My one roo has twelve girls to himself, but only one shows worn feathers. She wears a saddle all spring and summer. It's not just the roo's fault. Something about the way the two fit together, so a saddle was the easiest solution.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

Quote:
Where can I get these saddles?

 

[gritsar]

Here's a BYC sponsor that sells them:

http://www.hensaver.com/

If you purchase them, be sure to get the kind with the double strap that crosses around the chest. I've found the single strap ones the hens figure a way out of.

There's also quite a few pattern for making your own available here on BYC. Here's one:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=4031-Patterns

Again, keep in mind that two straps across the chest is better than one.
They say, but I don't know that it's 100% true, that the saddles also offer the hens some protection from being taken by hawks and other raptors.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

Thanks for the info. I will give it a try.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

Do you have any pics of your chickens wearing the saddles? It would help if I could see how it is used before I make them.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Another thing you can try, is clipping your roo's nails.


Mine favor a few also, and they show the "Favored" mark

Mine have saddles too.


Some chickens are just softer feathered (like brahmas, orpingtons and cochins) and their feathers are damaged much easier.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

I could give that a try also. I'll have to get a helper to hold Teddy while I clip.

 

[azygous]

This is Alice. I made her this saddle with shoulder ruffles to protect her completely bald back and shoulders from getting sunburned, and later, it kept her warm all winter since her feathers took a year to come back.

She was, admittedly, a little slut, and her roo took her up on her constant offers.

She also was pretty adept at getting out of her saddle until I modified it with straps fitting snugly under each wing and velcroed to the shoulders. She was also very small, so most patterns had to be cut down to fit her. Saddles are easy to make, but they do require fitting to the particular hen.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

That's really cute. Do the hens seem to mind the saddle? How about the other chickens, do they peck at the saddle or do they just ignore it? From looking at your picture, I am thinking that the wings go through the holes or straps?