Sumatra Rooster is Overbreeding My Hens 🥲

[Whittni]

I have a beautiful Sumatra rooster. I about to put him alone, he's made FIVE out of his 13 hens bald. I've never had this breed to be fair, but he's an unbelievably active rooster. I'm not sure I can keep him 13 hens should be more than enough for one rooster.

I'm a seasoned keeper and astonished that not even free ranging is keeping him from overbreeding. He's so pretty, it's a shame. Not even sure if adding 12 more hens would fix this horn dog

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have a beautiful Sumatra rooster. I about to put him alone, he's made FIVE out of his 13 hens bald. I've never had this breed to be fair, but he's an unbelievably active rooster. I'm not sure I can keep him 13 hens should be more than enough for one rooster.

I'm a seasoned keeper and astonished that not even free ranging is keeping him from overbreeding. He's so pretty, it's a shame. Not even sure if adding 12 more hens would fix this horn dog

I'd say send that beauty my way, but you're quite the distance.

Do you have hen saddles for you girls?

 

[Whittni]

Saddleswont help unfortunately, it's not an issue for back or wing feathers--only the feathers on the back of their heads. He's a horn dog this first breeding spring of his, hope he mellows out

 

[MysteryChicken]

Saddleswont help unfortunately, it's not an issue for back or wing feathers--only the feathers on the back of their heads. He's a horn dog this first breeding spring of his, hope he mellows out

Over breeding usually includes the back, shoulders, & back of head, or neck.

They do make little helmets you can strap to the back of their heads. It's silly, but that's the purpose.

 

[Whittni]

Update on this: Ultimately, I did end up rehoming this guy, he just would not stop stripping the headfeathers of his ladies (adding helmets to hens is not realistic, especially since some of the ladies I had with him were bred to be super flightly/predator resistant like other Sumatras and would never have accepted head gear). He went to a great home where he could live in a bachelor flock with a couple of his sons. I will miss how beautiful he was, but the ladies will not at all Back to bantam-only roosters for me! Maybe a docile Barred LF Cochin roo someday..