Defeathered Rooster

[Sundog2022]

The hens have begun pulling feathers off the rooster. He's got just down across his back. We're having sub zero degree temperatures.
I've hung cabbages, suet and added perches outside the coop.
What can we do to address the hens and any suggestions for stimulating feather regrowth?
Thank you!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

They're probably bored.
That's likely why they're picking at him.
Can you/do you free range them?

 

[Sundog2022]

They're probably bored.
That's likely why they're picking at him.
Can you/do you free range them?

Unfortunately, we can't free range. They're not thrilled about the snow and ice either.

 

[azygous]

Feather picking is a losing battle, especially when roosters are perfectly fine with standing quietly and letting hens shave their necks and saddles. This behavior just drives me nuts. But over the years, I haven't figured out any better way to deal with it than to separate roosters from the hens, and when I let the flock out together to free range, I purposely hold back the hens I've identified as feather pickers because they pick off their feathers while outside of the run, too.

At first I just separated the roos during the day and let them free range without the hens. At night they were roosting with the hens, and then I noticed the feather shavers were working on the roosters while next to them on the roosts. I've also tried putting pinless peepers on the offending hens, but it didn't stop them pulling feathers from the roos.

Yes, I've tried Rooster Booster Pick-no-mor, and all that accomplished was to make a huge greasy mess and the hens weren't discouraged by the awful concoction in the least.

The only way to protect your roosters is to keep them away from the feather pickers. My two roosters have their own partitioned section in a coop and they have their own dedicated run. They can still see and talk to the hens, but they are only together when I can keep an eye on the depluming hens.

 

[Sundog2022]

Feather picking is a losing battle, especially when roosters are perfectly fine with standing quietly and letting hens shave their necks and saddles. This behavior just drives me nuts. But over the years, I haven't figured out any better way to deal with it than to separate roosters from the hens, and when I let the flock out together to free range, I purposely hold back the hens I've identified as feather pickers because they pick off their feathers while outside of the run, too.

At first I just separated the roos during the day and let them free range without the hens. At night they were roosting with the hens, and then I noticed the feather shavers were working on the roosters while next to them on the roosts. I've also tried putting pinless peepers on the offending hens, but it didn't stop them pulling feathers from the roos.

Yes, I've tried Rooster Booster Pick-no-mor, and all that accomplished was to make a huge greasy mess and the hens weren't discouraged by the awful concoction in the least.

The only way to protect your roosters is to keep them away from the feather pickers. My two roosters have their own partitioned section in a coop and they have their own dedicated run. They can still see and talk to the hens, but they are only together when I can keep an eye on the depluming hens.

Thank you for your detailed response. I was worried we might have a semi-permanent problem on our hands with to the weather keeping everyone cooped up more than usual. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I had success one time when I had one hen plucking the feathers from the neck of a rooster. I locked him up the rest of the day and about half the next. I did not lock her up because I wanted her to keep laying in the nest. When I let him out the next afternoon that behavior stopped. I don't know why she was doing that, middle of summer and they had lots of room. And yes, he just sat there. She had created a bit of a bald spot.

I'm not arguing with Azygous, I think that behavior can become habit forming. I just didn't want you to not try. My long term solution would have been to remove one permanently from the flock. Because if my goals and how I raise them that would have probably been the hen but it wound up not being necessary.

Tight quarters often make behavioral problems worse. It sounds like yours may be in fairly tight spaces due to the weather. That could easily be a cause. I think your best course right not is to isolate them if you can and try to figure out how to give them more room when you put the back together.

 

[deidreg]

Perhaps get your rooster an apron, too. May slow down the picking and help keep him warm.

 

[Sundog2022]

I had success one time when I had one hen plucking the feathers from the neck of a rooster. I locked him up the rest of the day and about half the next. I did not lock her up because I wanted her to keep laying in the nest. When I let him out the next afternoon that behavior stopped. I don't know why she was doing that, middle of summer and they had lots of room. And yes, he just sat there. She had created a bit of a bald spot.

I'm not arguing with Azygous, I think that behavior can become habit forming. I just didn't want you to not try. My long term solution would have been to remove one permanently from the flock. Because if my goals and how I raise them that would have probably been the hen but it wound up not being necessary.

Tight quarters often make behavioral problems worse. It sounds like yours may be in fairly tight spaces due to the weather. That could easily be a cause. I think your best course right not is to isolate them if you can and try to figure out how to give them more room when you put the back together.

We've made an effort to improve their outdoor area over the past week and add in some things to alleviate boredom. It's a group of hens that are doing the plucking. When I remove one, three other take her placeand start plucking.
I'll have to think up a way to isolate the rooster.
Thank you for your input.