Saddles not working

[Mavrik]

I have a couple of hens that the rooster is tearing the crap out of them. I have saddles on them but the rooster figured out how to get under the saddle. What have others done in this extreme case? Do I need to slip a large 'tube sock' over the hens?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Separate the rooster occasionally. Let him with them a couple days a week.

 

[PoultryPedia]

You could try trimming his toenails & rounding the ends with a file to help reduce injuries.

Some people who don't want to have to buy or make saddles just tape duct tape across their hens' backs to cover bare spots. The tape falls off naturally after a while as it gets dirty & feathers grow back. I don't know if you'd like the 'duct tape look' but maybe it could hold up against your roo's claws??

 

[chfite]

How many hens per rooster do you have? Too few hens can present its own problem. Generally, one rooster per ten hens is recommended. Of course, fewer roosters can solve the problem, too.

Chris

 

[missnu01]

Sometimes a specific rooster is just too aggressive as a breeder. I have a huge rooster that daily breeds with a bantam sized hen and there is no issue, because he is gentle...Apparently very gentle...I have 2 adult roosters, but only 3 hens that are laying. Only the large rooster is successfully breeding any of the hens though, because he literally spends all his time making sure that the smaller rooster is not breeding any of them...Lol. We have 4 pullets getting ready to start laying...and I will be ordering a lot of chicks for the spring.
Younger roosters are harder on hens than an older larger roo as well. So how old is your rooster?