My Rooster saga

[Criticalicious]

The one hen he's attacking - is she the only white one or are they all the same? If she's different from the others, he may be reacting to that. Sometimes the different one gets singled out in a flock.

 

[Loona]

I hate to say there's not enough hens, but that could be it. And yes, he just might have it in for that one hen. I had a similar problem, and it was basically solved when I removed the roosters. The hens were much happier and all their feathers came back and they never got wounded again. One had the skin on the ride side of her body ripped off. That was the last straw when they got evicted. Built a divider while making a new pen for them.

 

[hayley3]

The one hen he's attacking - is she the only white one or are they all the same? If she's different from the others, he may be reacting to that. Sometimes the different one gets singled out in a flock.

She's a Silver Laced Wyandotte, just like he is. I have another hen of the same breed plus a polish chicken. So she's not the different one.

 

[hayley3]

I hate to say there's not enough hens, but that could be it. And yes, he just might have it in for that one hen. I had a similar problem, and it was basically solved when I removed the roosters. The hens were much happier and all their feathers came back and they never got wounded again. One had the skin on the ride side of her body ripped off. That was the last straw when they got evicted. Built a divider while making a new pen for them.

I wasn't sure what was going on...all the hens were losing feathers on their back and had severe gashes on their sides so that's when I removed his spurs and separated him from them. I would occasionally let them be together supervised and that's when I realized he was attacking her even though she was submissive to him..He would flog her and then she would run and I would have to intervene. But the other two he mated and it was over in a second. He seemed to like her the best at first, and so her injuries were worse which is why I put on that apron to protect her. Soon after, I let him out to see if the apron worked and that's when I noticed he first attacked her. So it has to be the apron that started the entire thing. Maybe I could put the apron in the barn and he will go after it instead of her.