Is this Molting or Picking? Pics Included

[sourland]

What is your hen to rooster ratio, and do you have more than one rooster?

 

[gotweim]

Quote:
I had 9 hens and 2 roos....but just lost 2

one to prolapse and I'm not sure about the other. So we are down to 7 hens and 2 roos.....just ordered 5 new hens but it will be summer before they are together in the coop.

It was my plan to not have any roos...imagine my surprise when I walked out to the coop when my "girls" where about 16 weeks and I heard crowing!! Weeks later another one was at it!

Do you think the ratio is off?

 

[Miss Lydia]

yep from all I have heard it's 10 hens to 1 roo. maybe you can find someone not to far from you selling or giving away some young hens..

 

[gotweim]

Quote:
Thanks! I'll look into that!!

 

[sourland]

Yes, you have one rooster too many. There is potential for injury to the hens if the roosters try to mate them at the same time. Torn necks and gashed sides are frequet occurrences when roosters mob a hen.

 

[Hanaruru]

Looks like nobody answered you about BLuekote.

it's a wound care spray that i think dyes the chicken's skin blue so other birds don't see the bright red skin/blood and try to pick at it.
so it works against picking if they are pulling eachothers feathers out, but also anytime there is bare skin or scabs, the other birds might attack the wounded one.

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/blue_kote_wound_dressing.html

If the girls will have saddles, that might cover it well enough though.

I've never had chickens, but i've read a lot of books and websites and i see Bluekote mentioned sometimes.

 

[gotweim]

Thanks Hanaruru!!

I just picked it up at TSC and sprayed it on the two of them.....I also ordered them some saddles that will hopefully come in a few days. I made some that should hold them over until then!

Thanks again!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I use Bluekote alot and usually have the purple hands to prove it, also have a purple towel, etc. lol