Hello!

Date sort Score sort
M

MotherHen9965

In the Brooder
Jul 25, 2022
2
23
23
I am so thankful for places like this to learn all I can about backyard chickens! I have 3 Golden Laced Wyandottes, 2 Black Australorps and a New Hampshire Red Rooster that are 3 yrs old. I decided today to add babies to my flock. I got 5 Buff Orphingtons and 2 more Black Australorps. This will be my first time adding new hens to an existing flock, so I'll be reading threads for advice. I also have a few questions regarding my rooster. First, is it normal to be mean to a hen, he chases her from the food and sometimes grabs a beakful of feathers. My other issue is his feathers. He doesn't have his beautiful tail feathers that he had last yr. He has an area around his tail feathers that looks "poofy" instead of the regular saddle & body feathers. His tail feathers are not long and colorful, just a handful of tail feathers but not big & full like before.
I'm trying to do an organic diet. Tips appreciated!
 
MotherHen9965 said:
I am so thankful for places like this to learn all I can about backyard chickens! I have 3 Golden Laced Wyandottes, 2 Black Australorps and a New Hampshire Red Rooster that are 3 yrs old. I decided today to add babies to my flock. I got 5 Buff Orphingtons and 2 more Black Australorps. This will be my first time adding new hens to an existing flock, so I'll be reading threads for advice. I also have a few questions regarding my rooster. First, is it normal to be mean to a hen, he chases her from the food and sometimes grabs a beakful of feathers. My other issue is his feathers. He doesn't have his beautiful tail feathers that he had last yr. He has an area around his tail feathers that looks "poofy" instead of the regular saddle & body feathers. His tail feathers are not long and colorful, just a handful of tail feathers but not big & full like before.
I'm trying to do an organic diet. Tips appreciated!
Click to expand...
Welcome to BYC.
Is he only mean to that one hen? Does she look healthy?
What are you feeding?
If he is lacking enough protein in his diet, he may be pulling and eating feathers. Your hens may also. Another problem might be mites.
Can you post a picture of the rooster and the hen?
 
SilverBirds said:
Welcome to BYC! A good rooster shouldn't pick on his ladies. Is this new behavior? Has she recently been added or reintroduced in the flock? Your rooster may have had his feathers plucked earlier in the year by another bird or he may be molting. Either way he should regrow them his next molt.
Click to expand...
Yes, this is new behavior he has towards this particular hen. No, she isn't new to the flock. These are the same hens he's always been around. He was much more aggressive this year towards them and us than before. I got him when he was about a yr and a half old. He was very docile at first, now he dances around them, chases and flogs the hens as if he's correcting them, but they are just doing normal chicken things. Not sure why he does this. His legs have red streaks this year as well.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom