Rooster issue

[Chicalina]

integration is a short term issue that will resolve itself with careful handling. Wearing out your hens and making them sore and bald is a long term issue and entirely preventable.

 

[Mrs. K]

Really the bareback hens tend to bother people more than they bother chickens. Do the hens avoid the rooster? If not, don't worry about it. They will probably molt in a few weeks, and then the feathers will regrow.

This time of year, the feathers are old and starting to wear out, they get bare spots before the molt. Sometime they look positively terrible during the molt. But new feathers and they will look mighty fine.

Some birds are more prone to feather breakage, some roosters cause more breakage, but if your girls follow him, adore him, I would let it go. And I would not lock him up during the day when they are out free ranging, as that is when a predator will get them.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

This time of year, the feathers are old and starting to wear out, they get bare spots before the molt.

Might depend on age of @Dejeped 's birds.
If they are 14-18 months old, and live in the northern hemisphere, they should molt soon.

There are no magic numbers for male:female ratio.
I have 12 hens and 1 cock, the 2 youngest hens(18mo) are bare backed because I think they get mounted more often.

 

[Dejeped]

Really the bareback hens tend to bother people more than they bother chickens. Do the hens avoid the rooster? If not, don't worry about it. They will probably molt in a few weeks, and then the feathers will regrow.

This time of year, the feathers are old and starting to wear out, they get bare spots before the molt. Sometime they look positively terrible during the molt. But new feathers and they will look mighty fine.

Some birds are more prone to feather breakage, some roosters cause more breakage, but if your girls follow him, adore him, I would let it go. And I would not lock him up during the day when they are out free ranging, as that is when a predator will get them.

Mrs K

Thank you, I agree- just wish there was a more secure product than the aprons to cover their backs. My girls stay with their rooster but the one he mates with the most will try to get away at times.