Help hens feathers grow back? Protect hens wings from rooster?

[Jemma Rider]

I have four hens and one rooster (they were already a flock when i got them all, i had to get rid of one other roo named President Snow). Percy is a good roo, he doesn't attack the hens, he protects them from hawks and brings them treats, and he usually only mates with each hen once a day (twice occasionally). He's very sweet to both humans and the hens, the only problem with him is his size, he's a heavy bird (he's a mix of several breeds from silky to Jersey giant). He's a very good rooster and i got lucky since the person who had him previously made no effort to tame him (he was very aggressive when i got him). My hen Rosie has suffered significant feather loss. When i first noticed it i bought some hen aprons and the girls adjusted to them great. I got the ones with wing protection because Rosie's poor wings looked rough too. For a while everything seemed fine, the apron worked fine and Rosie has acted normal. A few weeks ago i checked on her wings and the tops are completely bald. I was surprised because the aprons really seemed to be working good. For a while i just chased Percy off whenever he did his little dance (only from Rosie, all the other girls are fine) and it worked fine for a while but i got home from visiting family and noticed a little scab on Rosie's wing. I am now keeping roo separate during the day, letting him free range away from the hens and locking him up in a second small coop while they're out. I put him back home when the girls are asleep and it all seems to be working fine. I'll be getting a few new girls in a few months, in the end I'll have twelve and I'm hoping it'll help having more will keep him away from Rosie. Rosie is an Amerucana, i have one other Amerucana named Daisy who also has feather loss but not as severe. The weird thing is neither of my Easter Eggers have been affected at all, like their feathers are tougher.
i was wondering if getting Percy little chicken boots would protect the hens? Or if there is anything i can do to help Rosie grow her features back, i know she'll probably be stuck like this until her next molt but i figured there's no harm in asking.
I know i should only have one rooster per ten hens but my mother has fallen in love with him, and thinks we can do something to protect the girls. I thought about wrapping Rosie's wings lightly in vet wrap but i don't know if that would help at all either and i don't want to risk constricting her movement since Rosie has breathing problems (she had a respiratory infection or something a few months ago, rarely lays eggs and still has trouble breathing in hot weather or when she gets really scared, but acts like a normal chicken otherwise). I feel horrible for letting Percy stay, i should've given him away when i got rid of my first roo but Percy is so sweet like the dog I've never had, and both my brother and mother have absolutely fallen in love with him and they both despise animals. every time Percy crows my brother yells "love you too" in reply.
I could get rid of him if it's necessary but i want to figure out all possibilities first before i give him up since most roos end up being eaten and he's so friendly.
Here are some pictures of my girls free ranging with their aprons and rooster in his temporary cage (he only spends an hour or two in there every day, i give him a hot dog bun and he's happy until i let him out).
thanks all, hopefully there's a fix.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Your rooster is mating more than once a day. Most roosters mate multiple times an hour. You don't have enough hens to spread the love around. Saddles can only do so much and are irritating to the hens to wear. I would separate out the rooster long term to give your hens a break. He can live next to them, and still be fine. Rotate who's out.

I see some feather loss in a few hens each season. It doesn't hurt them and the feathers grow back in the fall. I personally would only step in if I were to see wounds. I keep my roosters nails and spurs trimmed to minimize damage.

 

[Jemma Rider]

Your rooster is mating more than once a day. Most roosters mate multiple times an hour. You don't have enough hens to spread the love around. Saddles can only do so much and are irritating to the hens to wear. I would separate out the rooster long term to give your hens a break. He can live next to them, and still be fine. Rotate who's out.

I see some feather loss in a few hens each season. It doesn't hurt them and the feathers grow back in the fall. I personally would only step in if I were to see wounds. I keep my roosters nails and spurs trimmed to minimize damage.

Percy doesn't mate much because he's still scared of all of the girls (they're all a year older then him and pretty aggressive, he just started crowing in July at nine months old), he likes to stay away from them in general. I spend most of the day with them so i don't know if I'm just not seeing it or if my rooster is just weird (i might just be blind i don't know).
thank you very much, i did order him some chicken boots to try and help earlier toady, I'm hoping that just minimises the damage until i can get my little coop predator proofed and a have a larger run attached (probably about two weeks). I didn't even think of trimming his nails though, he doesn't have spurs yet and I've always known about keeping them under control.
Thanks again, i know i should probably get rid of him since i won't have enough hens for several more months but it's the first animal my family has ever not despised, none of them care about the hens at all and i love the poor guy too much to risk him ending up as dinner. Thank you.

 

[Jemma Rider]

Your rooster is mating more than once a day. Most roosters mate multiple times an hour. You don't have enough hens to spread the love around. Saddles can only do so much and are irritating to the hens to wear. I would separate out the rooster long term to give your hens a break. He can live next to them, and still be fine. Rotate who's out.

I see some feather loss in a few hens each season. It doesn't hurt them and the feathers grow back in the fall. I personally would only step in if I were to see wounds. I keep my roosters nails and spurs trimmed to minimize damage.

He didn't start crowing in July i ment January this year, sorry.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Percy doesn't mate much because he's still scared of all of the girls (they're all a year older then him and pretty aggressive, he just started crowing in July at nine months old), he likes to stay away from them in general. I spend most of the day with them so i don't know if I'm just not seeing it or if my rooster is just weird (i might just be blind i don't know).
thank you very much, i did order him some chicken boots to try and help earlier toady, I'm hoping that just minimises the damage until i can get my little coop predator proofed and a have a larger run attached (probably about two weeks). I didn't even think of trimming his nails though, he doesn't have spurs yet and I've always known about keeping them under control.
Thanks again, i know i should probably get rid of him since i won't have enough hens for several more months but it's the first animal my family has ever not despised, none of them care about the hens at all and i love the poor guy too much to risk him ending up as dinner. Thank you.

Keep him if you like him. Expect some feathering wearing, sometimes it can't be avoided. Your hens didn't look in bad shape. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Alaskan]

I would give your girls a very close inspection and make sure they have no feather lice or mites. Lice and mites can make the feathers easier to damage and slower to grow back in.

You are correct in that some hens simply have much better and stronger feathers.

And 1 male to 4 females isn't always bad, it greatly depends on the individual birds.

It sounds to me like you are taking excellent care of your flock.

I do think that in your specific situation a separate rooster house and run right next to your main house and run would be ideal... just to give the girls a break.

 

[Jemma Rider]

I would give your girls a very close inspection and make sure they have no feather lice or mites. Lice and mites can make the feathers easier to damage and slower to grow back in.

You are correct in that some hens simply have much better and stronger feathers.

And 1 male to 4 females isn't always bad, it greatly depends on the individual birds.

It sounds to me like you are taking excellent care of your flock.

I do think that in your specific situation a separate rooster house and run right next to your main house and run would be ideal... just to give the girls a break.

That's what i am going to try, a separate place for Percy i have a smaller coop ment for bantams but it's not predator proofed so I'll need to get on that, but i do worry about him he loves his girls, he makes sure they eat before him and he chases off hawks. I won't be able to let them out as much with him not there, he saved them once from a hawk, and he wasn't crowing or mating yet. I check them daily for mites and other gross stuff, especially Percy with all his feathers, he's a lice magnet he's had them twice. Thank you