- Apr 28, 2012
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I have 6 hens and 1 rooster. They are kept in a coup that is attached to a nice sized run, filled with sand in the bottom. I feed them a combo of layer-pellets and cracked corn and am good about changing the water daily.
The rooster is a polish rooster, then hens are rhode island reds.
The hens have been attacking the rooster by pecking away at his tail feathers. I've been trying to keep them seperated, by letting the rooster out of the coup while keeping the hens in. Then I usually open up to the pen an hour before nightfall to let the hens roam the yard with the rooster, and they all go in and sleep in the coup for the night. If the chickens wake up before I can let him back out again, they'll peck him to the point where he is bleeding and all the tail feathers that started to grow back will be gone again.They only peck him inside the coup, when they are out in the yard the hens are to busy enjoying their freedom to care about him.
At this point I think I may have to try to find a new home for the rooster, which would be a bummer because my family and neighbors actually really enjoy hearing him crow and he is a really cool looking rooster/good conversation piece.
Before I start looking into this, does anyone have any ideas specific to my situation that might be worth trying?
The coup is 6' long, 4' wide and is elevated above the run. The run is 12' long, 6 feet wide. I really don't think overcrowding is the issue. Maybe boredom if anything? I've tried giving them seed-blocks to peck at and throw scraps of food in there but that does seem to give them enough entertainment,
Thank you
The rooster is a polish rooster, then hens are rhode island reds.
The hens have been attacking the rooster by pecking away at his tail feathers. I've been trying to keep them seperated, by letting the rooster out of the coup while keeping the hens in. Then I usually open up to the pen an hour before nightfall to let the hens roam the yard with the rooster, and they all go in and sleep in the coup for the night. If the chickens wake up before I can let him back out again, they'll peck him to the point where he is bleeding and all the tail feathers that started to grow back will be gone again.They only peck him inside the coup, when they are out in the yard the hens are to busy enjoying their freedom to care about him.
At this point I think I may have to try to find a new home for the rooster, which would be a bummer because my family and neighbors actually really enjoy hearing him crow and he is a really cool looking rooster/good conversation piece.
Before I start looking into this, does anyone have any ideas specific to my situation that might be worth trying?
The coup is 6' long, 4' wide and is elevated above the run. The run is 12' long, 6 feet wide. I really don't think overcrowding is the issue. Maybe boredom if anything? I've tried giving them seed-blocks to peck at and throw scraps of food in there but that does seem to give them enough entertainment,
Thank you