Rooster question

[Lieurance4]

We have 1 rooster and 4 hens (and 7 one-month old pullets). Our rooster and 3 of the hens are a little over a year old and flock together, but he has one hen he prefers to stay by and on top of. She has had on a chicken apron since last fall since she was losing so many feathers on her back. She still has very few feathers on her back as we checked today for the first time thinking she may like a break from it. However there weren’t many feather and part of her wings are now bald. She also has lost quite a bit of hair on her neck. She stays right by his side and everything seems consentual but I am worried about her bare skin. Today it is quite red. Here is a pic of her back with her apron on so you can see her red skin and a pic of the rooster. The other two hens aren’t missing any feathers. The fourth hen won’t be near him, stays in a separate coop. She was in the first group of chickens we had so she had never been around a rooster before, and one time he was on her she looked up at the same time he came down to peck her and he got her eye. Now she doesn’t see well and sticks by us instead of the flock. Is there anything we should do for the hen or the rooster? He is still afraid of us and only gets close when we have one of the hens, and even then he stays about 3-5 ft away flapping and making noise until we give her back. Just not sure if we should separate them or if anyone has some ideas!

 

[Mrs. K]

There is a theory that at least some of the fault in a bareback chicken is in the feather quality of hen. Some feathers break off more easily. I wonder if that is not the case, as the other hens don't have the damage. So my point is it might not be the rooster's fault.

Personally, a hen sticking right next to the rooster is not having a problem with this. Barebacks bother people way more than they bother hens. She looks perky from this angle. If she is eating, active, bright eyed and laying...she is generally doing just fine.

The feathers will grow back when she molts this fall.

How old are the rooster and the damaged hen? Are they a different age than the rest of the flock?

Mrs K

 

[Lieurance4]

The rooster and hen are both about 13-14 months old. They spend their day together and he is on her all the time. I do wonder about her feathers, she is an Easter Egger that I think was bred by the person we got her from. She is smaller than the other two hens that are her age. One is an olive egger and the other is another EE. I just felt bad that her skin may be sore but she is out with him all the time! But yes, she is happy, eating and active and laying about every other day. In fact we incubated one of her eggs and have a chick that is about a month old!

 

[Mrs. K]

Well the reason I asked, is often times if they don't have a real solid juvenile molt, the feathers are getting kind of old. And when a rooster gets a little more age on him, and spring dies down a bit, his urges will lower too.

She may molt a little early this fall, but will look like a brand new bird.