Mandaroo

[Mandaroo]

Hi Everyone! I Live In Va. And New To The World Of Backyard Chickens. I Currently Have A RIR RoosteR & 1 RIR Hen + 3 BR Hens..I Love Them All..But Because There's Only 4 Hen They Are Losing Feathers On Their Backs And Now One Has A Sizeable Gash Under Her Wing..I've SeparateD The Rooster From The Hens And With An Avian Vets Rec..Put Blue Kote On My Hens And Penicillin For 3 Days For The Hen With The Gash..

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome !

 

[drumstick diva]

poor girls - that is what happens when they are overused by a randy rooster. A roo can handle 10 hens so you could get more hens or maybe have the rooster look for a new home.

Are you keeping him so they have fertile eggs? Otherwise the hens will still lay eggs without him. On the BYC buy,sell,trade forum there are a few people that make and sell "hen saddles/aprons, to help protect their backs and allow the feathers to grow back in. They aren't 'spur-proof,' but better than nothing. They would be listed under "everything else for sale."

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

DD gave you some good advice. Good luck!

 

[write2caroline]

Welcome -

I think you are needing chicken saddles - cloth covers for the backs of the chickens to protect them from roosters pulling feathers and cutting them.

There are many vendors for saddles. I had similar issues and they definitely helped.

Caroline

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

You may also want to trim his toenails, the same way you would a dog or cat that had long, sharp nails.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Great advice from dd and onemuttsfan.

 

[Webechickens]

Welcome from east central Indiana. Good luck! No rest for the weary. lol

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Mandaroo]

Hi Guys, Update..Fot The Time Being I've Separated My 4 Hens From The Rooster..Our Coop has
2 Two Levels And I Just Rotate Them Back And Forth So They All Get Some Outside Time..We Have Portable Electric Fencing Surrounding Their Coop..Their Feathers Are Coming Back Just In Time As The Nights Are Becoming Chilly..We Are Building A Larger Coop Asap And Will Be Getting 25 More Girls But They Will Need To Mature Before Introducing To My Current Crew..Question??? If I Keep My Rooster Isolated From My Girls As This Whole Process Will Take Several Months And The New Flock Until They Get Old Enough Is It Going To Make Him Mean???Or Crazy??? He Will Be Able To See Them Buy I Dont Want To Be Cruel..What Do Y'all Think? Also We Will Do The Above Advice With Saddles And Trimming Of Nails And Spurs..Etc..I Love Him And Want To Keep Him..again He's A RIR..Thank You So much