Two Roosters going after on hen?

[Desert Flock]

I find myself with a problem. I am an involuntary guardian of chickens but I have grown to enjoy them and now provide food and water. The original hen and rooster found my back yard, had babies, were killed by coyotes and now I have the babies who are now probably 9 months old (3 hens and 3 roos). They are completely free range and roost in the trees at night. When the original roo was killed by the coyote the 3 young roos fought for control. One has been banished and remains on the outskirts of the flock, while the other 2 remain in control. The two work well together but they are really over "doing" one of the hens. I do not know what to do. She has two bald spots on the back and when they go at her (often 4-5 times in a row) she seems to play dead to get them off of her. I am very concerned for her. The roos do not go at the other two hens to the same degree they do this one. Is there anything I can do to help her?

 

[iwiw60]

I find myself with a problem. I am an involuntary guardian of chickens but I have grown to enjoy them and now provide food and water. The original hen and rooster found my back yard, had babies, were killed by coyotes and now I have the babies who are now probably 9 months old (3 hens and 3 roos). They are completely free range and roost in the trees at night. When the original roo was killed by the coyote the 3 young roos fought for control. One has been banished and remains on the outskirts of the flock, while the other 2 remain in control. The two work well together but they are really over "doing" one of the hens. I do not know what to do. She has two bald spots on the back and when they go at her (often 4-5 times in a row) she seems to play dead to get them off of her. I am very concerned for her. The roos do not go at the other two hens to the same degree they do this one. Is there anything I can do to help her?

Two roosters for just 3 hens? You have one too many roos. That hen that keeps getting the worst of it is most likely the lowest on the totempole hen of the three hens. You should definitely get rid of one of those two remaining roosters. You only need one for such a small flock, and at the rate that those two roos are going after that hen you'll shortly have only 2 hens.

 

[sourland]

Realistically two of the roosters should go, but I understand that is difficult given the circumstances. Two or more roosters gang breeding a hen can cause back/side lacerations which can lead to death. Is there any way that you could pen up either all of the hens or these two roosters?