bare-backed hens

[maurerwerks]

I'm a first-time chicken keeper. My rooster, Cyril, seems to be a great rooster. He shares all treats, telling the girls that he brought them, so they should appreciate him. He is very protective of them and doesn't appear to think that he needs to be aggressive to either me or my husband. The only thing I worry about is that all my hens (11 of them) are sporting naked backs due to Cyril's amorous activities. Is this just something that we'll have to live with while we have Cyril? Or will he develop a better technique as he ages? They are all about 10 months old.

I know a lot of folks make aprons for their hens, but I don't think this is gonna happen here. Is that the only solution? Thanks.

 

[juliette2009]

My goodness, with that many hens, you'd think they'd hardly sport a broken feather!

He must be very high in testosterone!

 

[scbatz33]

Maybe they are molting and his breeding isn't helping.

 

[maurerwerks]

They don't seem to be molting - they've got feathers everywhere else, look pretty perky and are laying to beat the band. I think the testoterone might be the issue (maybe slip him some estrogen?)

 

[Dan B]

I just bought two Barred Rocks and they have a bare square patch on their backs. The seller told me the roster was wearing them out and the feathers will grow back soon. I'm clueless so I hope he was right.

 

[CMV]

My rooster is destroying my flock of 18 hens. I have more bare-backed hens than I can believe. Saddles are not working either because he is wearing their feathers off their wings and pulling feathers out of their necks, as well as wearing the feathers off their backs. As a result of this, my rooster is going to be leaving us soon. I keep birds around to enjoy their beauty. I thought the rooster would add to that beauty, but all he has done is ruin the beautiful looks of my hens.

You could try housing your roo separately and just give him conjugal visits to his girls. Or you could remove him altogether.

Good luck.

 

[Judy]

Why no saddles/aprons? All you need is an old sweatshirt or polarfleece shirt and a pair of scissors. Or simply a roll of duct tape. Here you go:

http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/1/1-6/Joyce_Dixon.html

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=167 (scroll down about 3/4 of the way)

Sometimes it helps to trim his nails -- and round them a bit with a nail file after trimming. Their nails do have a vein so only trim the ends.

Usually the spurs do not cause this but you could also file or trim them.

 

[mulewagon]

I have the roosters in separate pens right next to the hens. I did trim their nails, but it didn't help in this case, and the pen is too full of logs and branches to use chicken saddles.

The feathers are growing back, but it takes a long time...also, watch out for sunburn. Make sure they have shelter from the sun.

 

[dela1991]

I am having the same problem. With one rooster and only six hens, I guess that will happen. I have just recently put aprons on the hens but I am still considering rehoming my rooster.