Hens loosing feathers due to rooster

[Den in Penn]

It might be technique on the hens part, it might they don't submit as much as they did. Or is it he's with the younger ones more. And I don't believe my rooster is causing enough discourse to lower the egg production either.

 

[remist17]

Well he did it again tonight. This time he flapped his wings and put his feet up to me.

My daughter will not let me .... get rid of him so I am going to make a smaller pen for jsut him.

 

[Pele]

Yeah, roosters have to earn their keep as much as the hens do. They just do it in a different way than laying eggs. If he is harming and harassing the flock instead of protecting it and keeping harmony, then get rid of him. Your girls work way too hard for you to deserve that kind of treatment.

 

[CherylHodge28]

OK. So my hens are missing feathers on their heads from my Roos. I am going to separate them so the girls can heal. I believe this happened because the Roos were young and inexperienced, and we had such a long cold winter - that they spent alot of time inside.
What can I do to treat the hens heads? thank you

 

[Den in Penn]

There is little you can do to speed feather growth except making sure they have enough protein and wait.

 

[CherylHodge28]

Should I put anything on their heads just to protect their skin?

 

[Den in Penn]

You don't have to unless its bleeding. Or if you see the feathers coming in and then disappears, use blu kote or something else to hide the new feathers.. That would be the other chickens plucking the new blood rich feathers.

 

[CherylHodge28]

Thank you

 

[mickiemack]

I've been distressed over the way my hens (8) were constantly being chased around by my three roosters. OMG!!!! They were all young peeps when I got them and I didn't know there were three roos in the bunch. Here's my story with this arrangement.

While young they all got along great. Once roos started to mount the hens (at about 6 months old) it was another story. The 6 full sized hens were chased unmercifully. Their feathers were stripped from their backs, necks, head and wing tops. It looked so sore. The full sized roos even tried to mount the two bantams. As far as I can see, the bantams have escaped their advances as there is no feather loss on them. Things got so crazy I even checked out how to de-sex the males which would turn them into capons. (The vet thought I was NUTS as I also asked him if there was a way to temper the crowing at 5:00 every morning). De-sexing can be done, but is risky. Check out this process on the web.

Anyway, I checked BYC site and found that there are "HEN SADDLES" that you can buy or make to soften the aggressive mounting. I had to modify the pattern to include a rectanglular piece of fleece fabric to cover the wing area (sort of like airplane wings) and attached it directly to the saddle. Sorry I cannot figure out how to attach a photo of one of my hens wearing this. I also added a piece of elastic to run from one side to the other to hold the saddle on their bodies. This is in addition to the elastic that goes under each wing.

I have just begun to see feather regrowth under the saddles---very slow process. Sometimes the saddles either come off or are torn off by roos and I have to wash and replace them on the hens. They do help. Sadly there is nothing I can think of to put on their sore heads and necks.

My chickens are free range and I have grown fond of them and their personalities. I am not yet ready to get rid of the roos and am considering penning them up together during the day. When they are in the coop in the evening they all get along great, but one roo does his best to keep the hens for himself during free range time. ANy thoughts on how to handle this??

Roos are great at protecting the hens from predators. In fact when all three roosters are VERY LOUD all at the same time, there is usually a predator around. They also do have to have a bush or shrub, preferably an low branched evergreen one, to hide under. When the roos make their loud noise all of the chickens make a beeline for the bush, so there is value in having them.

 

[Den in Penn]

mickirmack: Simply put you have to many roosters for the number of hens. You can separate them into a bachelor flock and keep them totally away from the hens. Leaving one with the hens. You could, if you have the room, triple the number of hens. Even with just the one rooster in the flock he will have a favorite and will strip her back,