Loss of feathers due to treading

[SnapBeeHenHouse]

I have 11 hens and 1 rooster. They are kept and large shed and run. Almost all of the girls have loss of feathers on back due to treading. No injuries. How do I prevent this? It is really hot out so I am reluctant to put aprons on them. Any suggestions or are they fine?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Almost all of them. Not sure how old they are but that tells me the male's technique is probably not that good. Roosters tend to do better with that than cockerels. If it is a very few it's possible the problem is more with the females than the male but that's not you case. Hens tend to cooperate more with a rooster than a cockerel so that could play into it.

The risk is that the back might be cut to create an open wound. If it is an older rooster with long sharp spurs the spurs are a risk but all cockerels and roosters have claws. They stand on and grip with those claws, so that is the real problem for feather loss.

How big the risk is depends on how bare the backs really are. Some feather loss is not unusual. This tends to bother people more than it does the chickens. As long as the skin isn't bare the risk isn't that great but freak accidents can happen. If all the individual feather is gone the replacement feather should start growing back fairly quickly, but if even a bit of the shaft remains that feather will not be replaced until they molt.

So what can you do? As long as it is minor I don't worry about it. If bare spots start showing up you can trim the claws. If he has sharp spurs you can blunt those too. Claws and spurs have a quick, if you cut into that quick it will bleed like your toe nails. I've cut into the quick a few times, it has never bled that much but it might be a good idea to have some flour or corn starch handy to help stop the bleeding. When I do that the rooster hasn't even flinched, not sure how much they actually feel it but I try to avoid it. I've trimmed claws and spurs maybe three times, it's pretty rare for me to do.

All I try to do is to blunt the sharp points. I'm not trying to take out great big pieces of claws or spurs, maybe 1/4 of the length at most. There are different methods to do that. I use a Dremel tool with one of those discs used to cut metal. Someone said they use a Dremel with a grinder. Others use dog nail clippers. I wrap the rooster in a large towel or small sheet around the wings to help keep him calm and under control.

I don't know how necessary it is for you to trim the claws. it would probably be more traumatic for you than it would be for him.

 

[SnapBeeHenHouse]

One hen does not have missing feathers. The other 10 have bald patches. They were all raised as chicks together. They are 14 months old.

I will try to clip his claws- thanks for the advice!

Almost all of them. Not sure how old they are but that tells me the male's technique is probably not that good. Roosters tend to do better with that than cockerels. If it is a very few it's possible the problem is more with the females than the male but that's not you case. Hens tend to cooperate more with a rooster than a cockerel so that could play into it.

The risk is that the back might be cut to create an open wound. If it is an older rooster with long sharp spurs the spurs are a risk but all cockerels and roosters have claws. They stand on and grip with those claws, so that is the real problem for feather loss.

How big the risk is depends on how bare the backs really are. Some feather loss is not unusual. This tends to bother people more than it does the chickens. As long as the skin isn't bare the risk isn't that great but freak accidents can happen. If all the individual feather is gone the replacement feather should start growing back fairly quickly, but if even a bit of the shaft remains that feather will not be replaced until they molt.

So what can you do? As long as it is minor I don't worry about it. If bare spots start showing up you can trim the claws. If he has sharp spurs you can blunt those too. Claws and spurs have a quick, if you cut into that quick it will bleed like your toe nails. I've cut into the quick a few times, it has never bled that much but it might be a good idea to have some flour or corn starch handy to help stop the bleeding. When I do that the rooster hasn't even flinched, not sure how much they actually feel it but I try to avoid it. I've trimmed claws and spurs maybe three times, it's pretty rare for me to do.

All I try to do is to blunt the sharp points. I'm not trying to take out great big pieces of claws or spurs, maybe 1/4 of the length at most. There are different methods to do that. I use a Dremel tool with one of those discs used to cut metal. Someone said they use a Dremel with a grinder. Others use dog nail clippers. I wrap the rooster in a large towel or small sheet around the wings to help keep him calm and under control.

I don't know how necessary it is for you to trim the claws. it would probably be more traumatic for you than it would be for him.