Bald spot

[grimresa]

Hi

My hen has a little bald spot on her back towards her tail. I don't know if it's from the rooster who won't leave her alone for a minute. She's the only hen so he is frequently climbing on top of her, and he is twice her size.

Is this something I should be concerned about?

 

[Debbie292d]

Yes, it will get worse if he's allowed to keep this up. Is this a young rooster?

You can buy hen saddles. Here's ones I bought. I got small for a silkie hen. I really should have gone medium as it JUST fits.

 

[ChicNmom]

Could you get a couple more hens so he isn't over mating her?

 

[grimresa]

Yes, it will get worse if he's allowed to keep this up. Is this a young rooster?

You can buy hen saddles. Here's ones I bought. I got small for a silkie hen. I really should have gone medium as it JUST fits.

Wow, cool! And they stay on, they don't fall off? I wonder if I should just keep them separate. The problem is they freak out when they are separated, but she hides from him all day lol

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes separate them until you can get a lot more hens. 7 or 8 would be good. One hen to a rooster is no good. If she is hiding from him and losing feathers it's cruel to let this continue. Separate them with a fence so they can still see each other.

 

[Debbie292d]

Wow, cool! And they stay on, they don't fall off? I wonder if I should just keep them separate. The problem is they freak out when they are separated, but she hides from him all day lol

Yes, they are very sturdy and securely attached and never as much as slipped.

 

[grimresa]

Yes separate them until you can get a lot more hens. 7 or 8 would be good. One hen to a rooster is no good. If she is hiding from him and losing feathers it's cruel to let this continue. Separate them with a fence so they can still see each other.

Ok thanks so much. Can they be in the same coop at night, or should they sleep separately? They keep each other warm at night, and with the winter coming, I don't know if I should have them sleeping separately outside. Her nesting area in the coop has a low ceiling, so when she is in there he cannot get to her.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Well. First thing in the morning he is likely to still terrorize her. I would put him in a dog crate in the coop until you can get more hens, if there is room for one. Where in the world are you? You'll need to quarantine any new birds for about a month anyway and then take steps to integrate them which may take another couple of weeks. Can you keep him in a garage or somewhere like that while this is going on? Or have you considered rehoming him? The pinless peepers may be your best bet.

 

[grimresa]

Well. First thing in the morning he is likely to still terrorize her. I would put him in a dog crate in the coop until you can get more hens, if there is room for one. Where in the world are you? You'll need to quarantine any new birds for about a month anyway and then take steps to integrate them which may take another couple of weeks. Can you keep him in a garage or somewhere like that while this is going on? Or have you considered rehoming him? The pinless peepers may be your best bet.

Hi. I may have to rehome him. He is very nasty and bites me and my husband all the time. But then when we pick him up he is so sweet, so I hate to get rid of him, but it might be best for big girl until I am able to get more chickens. I probably won't do that until the spring when the school hatches eggs again. Maybe next time I'll get a more pleasant rooster. I'm on Long Island in New York. I shouldn't have a problem rehoming him.