How can I help these poor hens?

[tacraig07]

Hello all! I previously started a thread about my hens loosing feathers. We had some things going on and I couldn't keep everyone updated so I pasted the conversation below for reference. We have decided the roosters are the root of the problem. They are very brutal with the hens. They run over them, stand on their wings until they choose to move, and they're tearing the hens up so bad. Should we kill the roosters or is there another way to stop this?

Thanks! Amanda






My chickens are starting to loose feathers on their back. At first we thought the roosters were being too hard on them. (They look very brutal when breeding) They are leghorns and the hens are White Rhode Islands and Red Rhode Islands. Then we thought maybe they are molting. They are about 9 months old. One is not tolerating it so well. Is this normal?
BackYard Chickens would like to say thank you
to our site Sponsors!



#2 of 8
1/10/13
sourland
How many roosters and how many hens do you have? Excessive mating and gang breeding by multiple roosters can be hard on hens and can even lead to injuries to their sides and backs.

#3 of 8
1/11/13
WalkingOnSunshine
Can you post a photo? Maybe we can help more if we can see what you're talking about. I've had excessive breeding and moulting look very similar.

Right now I have one hen in my flock that is over-bred. Any new feathers that were coming in get broken off, and the skin is really red. The moulting hens this year moulted in almost exactly the same pattern, without the broken feathers and the red skin.


#4 of 8
2/3/13
tacraig07
Sorry for the delay! We have had the flu swarm or home! I'm actually thinking it is the roosters. We only have 3 roosters and 9 hens, but one rooster is a white silkie bantam. A couple hens have feathers missing and sores on their backs. I can post a pic tomorrow. If this is the case, what are our options? Should we kill the roosters (except the batam!)?

 

[tacraig07]

Here's a hen, another is starting to look like this too.

 

[tacraig07]

 

[tacraig07]

This is our smaller leghorn.

 

[hotrodflash]

If you have 3 roosters and 9 hens, they are being over bred. One rooster is enough for all nine of the hens. Try and separate 2 of the roosters and see if the hens start to regrow their feathers. Just a thought.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Those hens definitely need a break from the roosters. I'd either get rid of the roosters or pen them away from the hens until the hens have healed up and regrown their feathers. Even then I'd only put one rooster in with them.

 

[seminolewind]

Yup. Put the roos in a pen for a few weeks. Or, what I did is put saddles on all the popular girls. They wore them for months. I got the ones with the snaps, it was easier to put on.

 

[tacraig07]

Thank you so much everyone! We are separating today! May just keep one leghorn and our bantam! Not sure yet, we are a little attached, but our poor hens!
Thank you again!