Rooster damaging wingbones

[guineafowlSA]

My roo is 1 year old and over the last month has caused significant damage to first the backs of seven of my twenty six hens (I then put on hen saddles) then to the wings where they attach to the body. These areas are red and raw. I put on wing protectors and they are useless. And were expensive. I realise its his Spurs that are doing the damage and I have read the various options for removing or trimming them. But if they are removed by the twisting or hot potato method,, don't they grow back really sharp since they are so much thinner and can soon do just as much damage? Isn't it better to use a Drexel and blunt them? I really need to do something soon as my poor hens are suffering. Any advice gratefully received.

 

[aart]

It's probably as much, or more, his toe nails as his spurs.

Toe nails and spurs can have the sharpest points filed or clipped off, just like a dogs nails you have to be careful not to hit the veins inside which can cause copious bleeding.

It could also be that those particular hens just have more brittle feathers and so they are more prone to feather breakage, exposing the skin to further damage.

Regardless, I would remove the hens with open wounds from the flock until they heal up. If any pecking is being attracted by the open wounds, treat them with blue-kote antiseptic(or something similar) to help healing and prevent further damage.

 

[azygous]

You have neglected to consider the most obvious and efficient method of protecting your hens. Segregate the rooster.

Young cockerels typically overmate the hens until after their hormones begin to subside after they're a year old. Before I could afford to build additional facilities, I would simply kick the roo out in the morning to free range or stand guard on the outside of the run. At roosting time, I'd open the coop and he would happily hop inside with the ladies to sleep.

Easy quick fix!