HELP!! Rooster being attacked by hens!!

[sms1225]

I raise chickens for eggs. I have 48 hens and 1 RIR rooster. The hens a rooster are 10 months old. All these chicks were delivered as day old chicks to me at the same time and have always been together. They have a big coop, big covered run and big pasture. They are fed an abundance of protein. Over the last 2 months the hens have been picking at the poor roosters wings on both sides, such that originally there were no feathers and just skin, but now over the last month they are eating his skin and it bleeding. I have taken him out of the coop and put him by himself in another coop, 3 times and kept him by himself until the feathers grow to about 3 inches long, put him back in with them and in a matter of hours he is bleeding again. Today I put pine tar on his wings and they ate the pine tar down to the skin and he is bleeding again.

I just bought an incubator and wanted to incubate my own eggs, and of course now I have this problem. I thought about wrapping vet tape on his wings and putting bluekote on the wings. I have read on this website that this can be a learned trait by the hens.

I thought for sure the pine tar would discourage the hens, but I guess not. I thought I could identify the culprits by the tar on their beaks, but I couldn't. I think because of the cold weather.

I really like this rooster, but he is really not standing up for himself. I know you should have 1 rooster to around 12 hens, but I don't want all the rooster fighting.

Has anyone had this problem?? I really need help on this issue.

Thanks to all

 

[cluckin tractor]

i would divide the shed somehow and put the good layers and the hens that dont fight with the rooster and remove the ones that do until everything settles down
if that is a succes then the next hatch should have another rooster that might stand his ground better

if you divide the shed then you could have two roosters

 

[drumstick diva]

Please do something before they kill the poor roo. Maybe you could separate him with just one hen and see how it goes. If there is peace, add another and so on. If one causes trouble boot her out. I think alot of the problem is that you only have 1 roo and way too many hens for him to cover. Most probably aren't getting attention so they have turned on him. Obviously they need a roo who will kick some chicken butt - but I think you roo's problem is just that he is overwhelmed by so many hens. I think if he were with a smaller group he would man up.

 

[sms1225]

I have him seperated. This is the 4th time. He is in a seperate coop by himself. I think I will pick and choose some hens tomorrow and put them with him, trying to pick ones that are not so aggressive. I will then be able to get fertile eggs and hopefully he will heal and not be lonely.

Thanks to all for all your help and suggestions. I guess I really need to be patient.

Thanks again.

 

[peacockfarmer1]

first there is a substance called rooster booster it is sold at a few gamefowl farms online it keeps other birds from picking its feathers can be used on both sexes and works
second i would not be worried about any fighting to add another rooster if yours is 10 months if the rooster you get is younger they will fight for a few seconds maybe up until 1 or 2 minutes then one will be dominant if the other rooster is older then he will probably become dominant for the fist couple of weeks they chase each other around a bit but with a big yard it should be no problem then within a month they get used to another (never going to be best friends but will not chase each other as much).

normally at 10 months a young rooster will stand up for himself and the hens wont be dominant also if u have a ratio like that and the hens are dominant then u wont be hatching to many eggs
i suggest get another maybe 2 roosters that are about 7-9 months(if u want your current rooster to be dominant) or 1-2 year ( these will probably beat your rooster but are not going to take any crap from the hens) just avoid games or game crossed rooster. there is no guarantee that your rooster is going to be dominant in any situation but it helps for the other to be young.

 

[cluckin tractor]

even if the whole group of hens settled down the rooster wont be able to fertile every hen

so most eggs will be a waste or duds

 

[sms1225]

I agree I do need more roosters, if I really want to hatch my own fertilized eggs. I have been putting the blukote on 2x a day and it is keeping his wings from being bloody or fleshy!! Hopefully the hens will eventually all together stop.

I have been reading about hatcheries vs real breeders, and I will probably locate a breeder and purchase fertilzed eggs from a small breeder. I purchased these 10 month old hens from a hatchery.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[NYRIR]

Quote:
Agreed! Hmmm....this is new....too many HENS????