Help PLEASE Molting Hen/Aggressive Rooster/Loss

[Nicci0110]

No, I don't think he will bother the younger birds. One can never say for sure, but generally, a rooster is attracted to a bright red comb. The pullets won't have that.

Where one gets into trouble with a cockerel and pullets - is when they are flock mates, all the same age, and there are no older hens to thump some manners into them. Especially if there are multiple cockerels. Then competition, and the fact that they are bigger than the pullets can make the pullets lives hell.

Mrs K

When he was a young rooster (under a year) he scalped one of my 13 week old hens trying to mate her. I saved her but had a chicken in my house for 3 months to get her healthy. Since then, I havent allowed hens near him until they are willing to submit to him. Do you think that was him being immature? He is my only rooster. I never planned to have one but I raised him from a week old. He is almost 3 now.

 

[Mrs. K]

Well, yes I do think that was the issue. One never knows for positive, but I would not expect him to bother the pullets at his age.

 

[aart]

I'd get rid of the male if you don't want fertile eggs to hatch.
Otherwise separate him.

 

[Nicci0110]

I'd get rid of the male if you don't want fertile eggs to hatch.
Otherwise separate him.

My biggest concern with that is he is a major protector for them. My chickens free range.

 

[aart]

My biggest concern with that is he is a major protector for them. My chickens free range.

Well, it's up to you which risk you want to take...
...wild predators or the one within the flock.

 

[Nicci0110]

I put all my hens together this weekend and they did excellent. My rooster is beside them and can see them still. All seems to be going well so far.

 

[lagrange chicks]

He will run her away from feed if he is eating. He doesnt do it to the others. I have been giving her nutri drench during her molt. She stays close to the them but keeps her distance when they are free ranging. If they are in the run (she stays in the nesting box) she is not broody. He seems to run her back to the coop/nesting box when she comes out to eat. She pretty much has her feathers back. She shows no illness. She seems depressed from losing her rank in the order.

Can you add another feeder? I kind of had the same thing going on and added a feeder to the coop and a 2nd one to the run, made it so everyone could eat.

 

[Nicci0110]

Can you add another feeder? I kind of had the same thing going on and added a feeder to the coop and a 2nd one to the run, made it so everyone could eat.

I could. I think for now I'm just going to keep him separated so they can establish a pecking order without his involvement. This has been the easiest integration I've ever had. I think because he wasn't a part of it. He is in a coop butted up to them so he can see them perfectly

 

[Pollyanna farm girl]

Will it ever end? I have 13 hens, all the same age but all different breeds. Their first molt started over labor day with one chicken, followed a week later by another, then another. No 2 chickens molting at the same time. Here it is a week before Christmas, it is 20 degrees and my most hearty of all my hens just started loosing feathers, a hard molt. She is almost naked and clearly miserable and it is very cold. I am tempted to bring her indoors, but have found isolation tends to make the girls even more miserable. Misery loves company! So I bought sweeter heaters, put down extra bedding, upped their protein, and am letting nature take its course. The pecking order has changed. Those who molted early are clearly taking advantage, pecking aggressively on those hens now molting. I find myself having to police the coop more and more often. I had one Ameraucana totally clear the top roost at 7:30 at night, so she had the sweeter heaters all to herself. Needless to say I gave her a time-out, allowing my other hens to repopulate the top roost under the heaters, and returned the bully well after dark to a lower roost where she immediately settled down for the night. My interference worked out well this time. Hopefully, Ms. Bully learned her lesson. This is my first year with chickens. I am probably overprotective. Yes I have a camera in the coop and a locking door for night time security and an additional camera in the run which allows me to monitor for any night visiting predators. Still learning as I go.

 

[lagrange chicks]

I know what you say all to well. All my chickens molted or are in the process of molting and "Ginger" is looking pretty thin feathered for going into January in Wisconsin. She was loosing neck feathers early November.