Hen Issues

[tikibanjo]

Looking for suggestions for several injured hens. I have a flock (hatched in March 2020) with 4 roosters and 8 hens. I know: too many roos! I really don’t want to get rid of any of my roosters - they’re beautiful, healthy, and do a good job protecting and keeping general order.

4 of the hens have bald patches on their backs from the boys “playing” too rough. I do also have 13 young birds (hatched in September) and am hoping for an abundance of hens in that bunch, which may lesson the stress on the adult hens. In the meantime, should I separate the stressed girls. I have a vacant small coop that isn’t being used, but I’m worried it will just create more stress in the flock.

 

[Aapomp831]

The only thing you could really do is add more hens... and by more hens I mean like 50 to accommodate all those roosters and even that wouldn’t solve your problems. They are not only going to overmate your hens, but they will start fighting and you will have much bigger injuries to deal with. You need to get rid of at least 2, and even after that you will need to separate the other two into two flocks, each with one rooster and four hens. This is the part of chicken raising that’s hard - but I’m telling you that many roosters will make your life a living hell. I would honestly pick the one with the best temperament and get rid of the other three. If you decide to keep two and not separate you desperately need more hens.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Instead of separating the hens, why not separate the roos? That would help a lot more than separating the hens out. They are getting overmated and that is not good for them. And if the roosters currently aren't fighting, they shouldn't fight when they are separated from the hens.

 

[-Clementine-]

Have you considered a bachelor pad for your boys? It helped with our girls.

 

[coach723]

I would personally separate the cockerels out. Leave one with the hens if you want, or remove them all. Bachelor pad if you want to keep all your boys, separate from the girls, preferably where they can't see the girls. Some people don't like the 10:1 ratio of hens to roo's, but that is a good starting place. Depending on the roo in question it can work with a bit fewer hens, or need a few more, it's not a concrete number just a good estimate. The birds in question will determine the actual number that works well. If your cockerels start fighting over the girls, and odds are that they will, eventually, you will be dealing with worse.

 

[Celeste Cannon]

The only thing you could really do is add more hens... and by more hens I mean like 50 to accommodate all those roosters and even that wouldn’t solve your problems. They are not only going to overmate your hens, but they will start fighting and you will have much bigger injuries to deal with. You need to get rid of at least 2, and even after that you will need to separate the other two into two flocks, each with one rooster and four hens. This is the part of chicken raising that’s hard - but I’m telling you that many roosters will make your life a living hell. I would honestly pick the one with the best temperament and get rid of the other three. If you decide to keep two and not separate you desperately need more hens.

Well said, either add hens so each rooster has 6+ girls or get rid of 2 or 3 roosters. Chicken math. I'd separate the ladies in the meantime so they don't stress or get hurt, if you could separate the boys that would be good too. 4 hormonal boys alone together will not go well haha. you could maybe separate just 2 or 3 of the boys and leave one with the girls.

 

[SulkyBantam]

For now, try hen saddles.

'hoping for an abundance of hens' won't work I'm afraid. You'll just get more roos.

 

[tikibanjo]

For now, try hen saddles.

'hoping for an abundance of hens' won't work I'm afraid. You'll just get more roos.

We tried saddles but they kept pulling them off, mysteriously. Any particular brands you recommend? TY!

 

[Aapomp831]

Well said, either add hens so each rooster has 6+ girls or get rid of 2 or 3 roosters. Chicken math. I'd separate the ladies in the meantime so they don't stress or get hurt, if you could separate the boys that would be good too. 4 hormonal boys alone together will not go well haha. you could maybe separate just 2 or 3 of the boys and leave one with the girls.

4 hormonal boys should do ok as long as there is nothing to fight over, like hens lol