Rooster having too much fun with my hens...

[bgelber]

I had to separate my little roo from the girls. He wasn't hurting their back but pulling them bald headed. A few days apart from them and he no longer does it. I'll tell ya there isn't anything stranger looking than a bald headed hen.

 

[Want Less]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone! Temporarily we've moved him to another coop while I make saddles for the hens. He's doing a lot of pacing and talking in there but it is only for a short while until everyone is fitted with their new wardrobe.

Question: For those of you who use saddles, do you leave them on 24/7? Are there any precautions I need to take so that they don't get hurt wearing them?

I tried the first one I made on one of the girls, and after I awkwardly figured out how to get it on her and put her down, she really didn't even seem to care it was on her (which surprised me!)

 

[teach1rusl]

Most who use them leave them on 24/7

Glad to hear your girl(s) appears to be accepting the saddle so readily! It'll be nice to have protection so their feathers can grow back (and to prevent skin breakage!)...

 

[oldchickenlady]

I found a 'no sew' pattern here on BYC and made one for a hen with a torn up back (not just feathers, but her skin, too). Then I had to make another one for a hen that turned up hurt...dont really know what got her but something did. I left the chicken saddles on both of them until they healed. I used Vetericyn on both girls and it worked great. I tried the antibiotic cream on them, but dirt and stuff just stuck to it so bad, that I quit using it and used the Vetericyn. I also got rid of the rooster...I just could not deal with doctoring hens through the winter. I made my saddles out of soft knit material from an old knit shirt of mine. It was much thicker than just Tshirt material, but still soft on their skin.

 

[TheWaddler]

Quote:
I do the same, I ended up with a rooster as a freebie from purchasing 2 silkies. He is a little guy, a bantam cochin frizzle but he is very frisky and I had to separate him for rough-housing my girls. So now he lives in his own little run along the back fence that is inside the chicken yard. He has his own coop (old converted wood box) and the few times I let him out it is in the evening, when the sun goes down he is frantic to get back to his house and doesn't ever try to follow the girls into their coop. My gf hates him and I know I should get rid of him as he serves no real purpose at the moment (except as my 5:40 am alarm clock) but I think he is neat so he stays for now

 

[lovinlife]

Quote:
where did you find that pattern? I have three roosters for 31 hens and I still have hens with bare backs. I want to make some saddles for them, but I need a pattern. I don't mind sewing, just need to know where the patterns are. Thanks!

 

[excited2getfirstchickens]

I'm having the same problem, only after Ricky creates a bald spot, the other hens peck at the bare backs and have actually killed my silkie and have caused a huge gash in my Andalusian. Will the saddles keep the hens from picking too? Will they all peck at the saddles? Sorry, but I was devastated when my Susie died and today I found the gash. I'm very disappointed in my girls.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Sorry for your loss.

Yes the saddles will protect the bareback hen(s) from further damage. Truth be told, I think my roos are scared of the saddles for a good long while and avoid the girl wearing one.

 

[scooterward]

I can totally empathize! I too had such a problem with my roo that I considered sending him to freezer camp. The reason why I didn't / haven't is because he's a good roo. He's just too harsh on them (he's still young and full of hormones). I found one of my hens with a huge gaping hole! A HOLE! I totally freaked out. He got put in the greenhouse/shed during the day until we made a pen inside the coop for him. It was so pathetic while he was in 'jail' because he called and called for them and did his little 'I've got a goodie for you' sound when I gave him treats even though he was all alone. We put him back in the coop at night. After we made the inside pen and I bought saddles for the girls, I found a gash on his favorite hen, Bubbles (who is BALD and barebacked! grrrrrr! ). It wasn't as bad as Chloe's but still there nonetheless. He is in there in his own pen if we cannot supervise him with the girls. And I don't let him near the recovering ones. They miss not being with each other - apparently they don't care too much for the physical separation. But I certainly need to do it to let the hens heal. I have a couple more saddles to put on the rest of the girls. They will keep them on 24/7. The advice I got on here to put them on at night really works. I just strapped the light to my head so I could use both hands. It takes a little bit of doing but you'll eventually get them on. They work to protect the hen's back. I got Hen Savers and I recommend them. They also have them with shoulder protectors if he's knocking the feathers off the top of their wings.

Oh, I also use BluKote. I had used an antibiotic ointment on the wound when I first discovered it on Chloe. Then I used BluKote on the wounds.

Good luck!

 

[wingsofglory]

Years ago, I read on here that many keep the rooster(s) in a separate pen and turn them loose with the hens just one day a week. It is enough to keep the eggs fertilized but saves wear and tear on the hens. The pen can be in the run so they are near but no access.

I had twelve hens, but the rooster's favorite hen couldn't take so much attention. Like every ten minutes all day long. So she started refusing. And he beat her up terribly. I broke it up the first time I caught him, thinking it was a one time thing, but he kept assaulting her terribly every time he caught her, till she was terrified. She took up residence on the rafters above my deck and only coming down and eating after he went to roost.

I never had seen something like that - it was really ugly and brutal how he attacked her and was killing her the last time I broke it up.