My roosters are ruining hens' back feathers, does anyone else have this problem? How to prevent or stop?

[malirae]

Around 2 years ago, we picked up 4 clearance chicks from Tractor Supply and ended up with 2 roosters, and this year we noticed that they started messing up the back feathers on our hens and now more than half our flock of around 20 hens are pretty much completely missing their back feathers. Has anyone else had this problem? And does anyone know if there is a way to prevent or stop it without removing the roosters? (Purely because we dont have anywhere to put them and they would literally kill each other)

Also: we live in Texas and hens with missing back feathers for protection is a problem because of the risk of severe sunburns, cause summer is most of the year here.

 

[malirae]

A couple more photos

 

[DLA]

Hen saddles, made of a tough but light weight for your hot climate material. You can search on here or google, there are tons of patterns and images showing how to make them or you can buy them. Keep the roosters nails and spurs trimmed, without feathers to protect their backs sometimes the roosters can injure the skin if they have sharpies.

 

[malirae]

Okay, I dont know how much I can do to the roosters, because they are VERY skidish, and I will look at the hen saddles but I dont really want to have to buy all of them one

 

[SnackMeat]

You can also get rid of your two roosters, allow the hens time to recover, and then find a couple older (but still on the younger side) roosters being "retired," and then by next season you can hatch out some eggs and have the older rooster train any new roosters over the next couple of years.

 

[DLA]

Okay, I dont know how much I can do to the roosters, because they are VERY skidish, and I will look at the hen saddles but I dont really want to have to buy all of them one

If you plan to keep the roosters with the hens and don't use hen saddles then you will likely continue to have bald backed hens and should check them regularly and be prepared to treat any skin issues. The roosters won't stop doing what they do. I don't know if you're a craft minded person or know someone that is and would assist you. Chicken saddles aren't very hard to make.

 

[Mrs. K]

Bareback hens bother people more than they bother chickens. And in August, feathers are old and more fragile, once they molt, they will look brand new. This time of year it is more of an old feather problem than a rooster problem.

 

[McChooky]

Keeping more than one young rooster can cause them both to overmate or rape the hens. I hope you don't wait as long as me.I found one of my hens dead from the stress of overmating

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Try handling your roosters at night, taking them off the roost after they go to bed. Much easier than trying to catch them during the day!

Also, when the cockerels and pullets are the same age, life tends to be a rodeo. I recommend re-homing the cockerels, letting the pullets mature, then hatching out some chicks next year. Let the hens raise up a cockerel or two and pick one to keep. The hens will teach the youngster manners and you could end up with a fine flock master.

 

[Mrs. K]

Try handling your roosters at night, taking them off the roost after they go to bed. Much easier than trying to catch them during the day!

Also, when the cockerels and pullets are the same age, life tends to be a rodeo. I recommend re-homing the cockerels, letting the pullets mature, then hatching out some chicks next year. Let the hens raise up a cockerel or two and pick one to keep. The hens will teach the youngster manners and you could end up with a fine flock master.

This is very good advice - it tends to produce a peaceful healthy flock.