This is more of a heads up from learning the hard way than a question.
A few months ago we culled some of our layers, and then got hit with Marek's, which took us down to having 2 Roosters and 12 hens. The more gentle rooster, a RIR began competing with the more aggressive Leghorn for breeding rights. I noticed that when the Leghorn would interrupt, he'd get very aggressive with the hens he was mounting, moving his feet into their backs very forcefully. He ripped one hen clean open, and we thought she as a gonner. The leghorn ended up as a cull and the flock is settled now, so that's no longer an issue. And the hen, with a lot of TLC and keeping her clean has healed, and only missed a week of laying.
Bottom line for beginners like me, make sure to keep your rooster to hen ratio balanced. Otherwise the whole coop is under stress, and you could very well loose some hens.
A few months ago we culled some of our layers, and then got hit with Marek's, which took us down to having 2 Roosters and 12 hens. The more gentle rooster, a RIR began competing with the more aggressive Leghorn for breeding rights. I noticed that when the Leghorn would interrupt, he'd get very aggressive with the hens he was mounting, moving his feet into their backs very forcefully. He ripped one hen clean open, and we thought she as a gonner. The leghorn ended up as a cull and the flock is settled now, so that's no longer an issue. And the hen, with a lot of TLC and keeping her clean has healed, and only missed a week of laying.
Bottom line for beginners like me, make sure to keep your rooster to hen ratio balanced. Otherwise the whole coop is under stress, and you could very well loose some hens.
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