Back protectors?

[Mahtowagal]

Just put a saddle on a girl today ... In his first year he was over mating (seven hens) and four hens needed saddles, last year was okay (nine hens), this year only two girls need. Next year we'll have eleven hens and everything should be okay.

No punctures or wounds, thankfully ... just rubbed raw.
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Interesting! Well, I only saw puncture wounds..no rubbing.. and the puncture wounds were always in the same spots.. I am not real comfortable adding new hens. This flock was our first and they have been together since 2 days old. We're all set up in their routine etc and I dont deal well with any fighting. So I think I'm going to just keep the aprons on and once we lose a hen, then I may need to think about having my rooster put down.... unless we can successfully add more adults then...I just dont know. Ih ave horses and spend WAY more time on them than I do the chicks! But the chickens lead a great life..they have a 300 sq foot predator proof area and another even larger roaming area...nice big coop etc...but I just am not a pro at handling flock changes.

 

[Mace Gill]

Interesting! Well, I only saw puncture wounds..no rubbing.. and the puncture wounds were always in the same spots.. I am not real comfortable adding new hens. This flock was our first and they have been together since 2 days old. We're all set up in their routine etc and I dont deal well with any fighting. So I think I'm going to just keep the aprons on and once we lose a hen, then I may need to think about having my rooster put down.... unless we can successfully add more adults then...I just dont know. Ih ave horses and spend WAY more time on them than I do the chicks! But the chickens lead a great life..they have a 300 sq foot predator proof area and another even larger roaming area...nice big coop etc...but I just am not a pro at handling flock changes.

How big are his spurs? If the wounds are always the same, it is probably the spurs ... eke the aprons, but trimming the spurs could save a lot of trouble ... on roo rather than dressing up several hens

 

[Mahtowagal]

No, I havent looked at his spurs recently.... havent noticed them but the first two wounds were his first summer and he did not have any spurs then..

 

[Mahtowagal]

I just leave the aprons all summer... so they're all dressed up for months! I also wondered what tells him to stop mounting them..? Shorter daylight or ?? He does not do any of that during the winter.

 

[Mace Gill]

I just leave the aprons all summer... so they're all dressed up for months! I also wondered what tells him to stop mounting them..? Shorter daylight or ?? He does not do any of that during the winter.

At a guess, I'd say the same internal clock that lets hens know not to go broody.