Roosters, hen pecked back, question

[Hongisto]

Hi all,

We're considering adding a rooster to our small flock, but there is an aesthetic question: how or can we avoid that back/tail bare spot, that we see at big flocks with multiple roosters!? Is this just an unavoidable side effect of a rooster mating?

 

[Pinky]

That can be avoided. Most people recommend 1 rooster to every 6 (some say 10) hens. When I have 1 rooster and 4 or more hens, i've never had a bald back hen. Some people also use hen saddles/aprons to protect the hen's back. I've only had bald back hens when I had more than one rooster in a pen. Also, some roosters are just more careful than others when breeding. I have 1 rooster that is in a pen with 1 hen(she gets along with no other birds), and she has never had a bald spot.