Silkie Flock Question

[HogWildAboutChix]

Hello Silkie Experts!
I am not new to chickens, but I am less than months in to raising Silkies and selling hatchlings locally.
I have 4 hens and 1 roo that I bought as an established flock. They lay well and the eggs hatch very well with healhty strong chicks!

My question - how do you maintain the hen's feathers when they are being used for breeding? Three out of four hens have treading marks on their heads and wings. These three are the smaller hens. I have one hen who is built bigger and her feathers are beautiful. She is not bullying the others, its actually the opposite, she is always getting ran off the food and roost.

Is it possible to have hens with beautiful feathers in my breeding program? Do I need a new Rooster?
Thanks!

 

[HogWildAboutChix]

Had a typo - I am less than 6 months into raising Silkies!

 

[Matilda Belle]

I have a flock of silkie hens and one rooster and have never had an issue. Do you have enough room in your coop and run (4 sq. feet in coop/10 sq. feet in run)?

 

[MysteryChicken]

You can order hen saddles to protect their backs during breeding.

 

[HogWildAboutChix]

Thank you for your suggestions! I do have a couple hen saddles on the girls. Its the back of their head that is the issue really, has ruined their crests.

Im thinking I will try a new Rooster. I saw him breed the same hen 3 times back to back a couple of days ago. He may just be excessively breeding.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thank you for your suggestions! I do have a couple hen saddles on the girls. Its the back of their head that is the issue really, has ruined their crests.

Im thinking I will try a new Rooster. I saw him breed the same hen 3 times back to back a couple of days ago. He may just be excessively breeding.

They make chicken helmets too.