Question on my roo please!

[Garden Gal]

I have two roos, each with their own flock of hens, and are kept separate from each other... two sides to the coop, two sides to the yard. On of the roos, a beautiful RIR with 12 hens, and a Delaware Giant mix with 8 hens. Both roos are great, I have no problems except - the RIR is really wearing the backs of his hens. He definitely prefers the RIR hens to the BR's and the gals are showing the wear and tear. I've tried saddles on the hens but they hate them and rip them off almost immediately.

As much as I hate it, I am considering getting rid of the RIR roo. My question is: can the remaining roo spend one day with one flock of gals and then the next on the other side? Will a roo ever hurt hens he doesn't know?? My thought is that all the hens will get a break and have a better chance of re-growing their feathers.

Many thanks for the help.

 

[gritsar]

Your plan sounds like it would work. The remaining roo might be a little rough on the other girls while he teaches them that he is in control.
I have one hen that has to wear a saddle. She is the roo's favorite to mate with, but not his favorite to just hang out with - go figure.

After trying several saddles, I bought her the kind that has two pieces of elastic that crisscrosses across her breast. She can't get this one off. She doesn't like it, but she can't take it off.

 

[bhoyt]

Unless you plan on hatching chicks, my advice would be to get rid of the roosters. Hens do alot better without them, you will have better egg production and calmer chickens.

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
Way too much of a generalization. Some roos are model citizens and their hen friends love them. My roo BJ is a gentle caring soul and any hen he's ever known has been smitten with him. Hen Ellie calls him endearinngly when it's time to lay an egg and he stands at her side for however long it takes and all is right with her world. He also finds his lady friends treats and denies himself so that they can have the pleasure. He warms their nest before egg time and is an all round good guy. Their lives would have been missing something very special without him.

JJ

 

[KKatknap]

JJ - what kind of roo is BJ? I want him

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
I have not found this statement to be true.

As JJ states a good roo is worth his weight in gold. He protects the flock from air and ground threats always on the lookout, he keeps the hens from squabbling, he finds treats and gives them to the hens, he finds the safest, best nest spots and fixes them for his girls, he watches out for his little chicks, he stops young roos from being brats and if he is really really good - his sons are just like him.


Keep your gentlest roo.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think your plan should work. As far as that goes, if you wanted to, you could get rid of one rooster and merge the flocks if that suits your goals. You would have pecking order, integration issues with the hens, and there is no guarantee that certain ones would not still need saddles, but it might help and might be easier for you to manage.

I'm not convinced that the ones that need saddles are actually the ones that are a rooster's "favorites". Now that the weather is nicer I'll be spending a lot more time outside where I can really notice, but I think I have observed that the ones that get treated rougher are the ones that resist the rooster's advances. The ones that cooperate seem to not need the saddles. How much a hen resists depends on how much the rooster's spirit dominates hers. I don't think it is this simple. I think size, spurs, youthful enthusiasm, room to get away, and technique (which may be related to her resistance), and who knows what else all factor in. I will be observing specifically for this and would welcome anyone else's thoughts and observations on this.

I'm sorry that I may be hijacking your thread a bit, but I think it may factor in to your situation. Then again I could be totally wrong.

Good luck!!!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
I am not saying your incorrect Ridgerunner but from what I have learned/seen in my flock, the girls who need the saddle are favorites with fluffy feathers (Orpington girls, Cochin and my EE). Course part of the problem is my roo is a large heritage Orp and a good portion of my girls are hatchery and much smaller than Versace (poor guy and girls - sometime you cannot see the hen under him). I am having less of a problem with my larger heritage Orp girls.

I do have a couple hens who "dislike" roo attention, one Versace will chase down to mate and her feathers are missing at the top of her head from him grabbing. One he has her, she submits and her back is feather full. My other girl faces off with him and he leaves her alone.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Me too!!

 

[Garden Gal]

Quote:
I have not found this statement to be true.

As JJ states a good roo is worth his weight in gold. He protects the flock from air and ground threats always on the lookout, he keeps the hens from squabbling, he finds treats and gives them to the hens, he finds the safest, best nest spots and fixes them for his girls, he watches out for his little chicks, he stops young roos from being brats and if he is really really good - his sons are just like him.


Keep your gentlest roo.

I had not planned on keeping roos but these two guys are just too nice... I will definiately keep one guy and have to think hard about dispatching the other! He is sooo beautiful and a good guy... just wearing down the gals! I'll also keep a closer eye on him and the hens to see if the gals are trying to get away or if it just because he is so big.

Thanks everyone for your input.