Buff Orpington Rough Mating?

[ACTWESTWING]

Today I just purchased 4 orpington hens and 1 rooster. I was told they were a year old. The hens look as if they are going bald around the neck area and on the back.. the seller said that the rooster had done that while mating.. is this normal or should i remove the rooster? The Rooster is perfect he looks like a picture not a scratch or missing feather anywhere! I want to have sterile eggs to incubate but i'm more concerned for the safety of the hens!! Also one of the hens seems to have a hole near one of her wings that i just noticed while moving them into their new coop! I feel like i made a terrible purchase! How can i help these poor Hens?! Please Help Me!!!





Heres a pic of the hens..

 

[bj taylor]

very pretty birds. i love buff orpington. i currently only have one. i look forward to more.
technically, you want "fertile", not "sterile" eggs to incubate - not that we're being technical here.
i wouldn't do anything w/the rooster until you've had time to see for yourself what's going on. in a different environment, there may not be a problem.
if there is a problem, and if you have room in your coop/run - give him more girls to spread the love around. it would be a shame if you have to get rid of your pretty boy.

p.s. if you live in north central texas, i'll take the boy off your hands if that's what you come up with. pay you of course.

 

[ACTWESTWING]

i meant fertile.. lol long day.

It worries me to death seeing these poor hens like this.. My hens have always had beautiful plumage and i want the same for these beautiful girls!!! i guess im a little sensitive but they have a bigger coop and run now then what they were in so maybe that will help! I'm very tender hearted and i'm going to have to get over that in this business i guess

 

[bj taylor]

i know what you mean being tender hearted & worrying. i'm getting a little tougher and i'm not getting up in the night for them as much as i did at the beginning. i love my chickens. they're a joy in my life

 

[sourland]

The rooster does not have to be with the hens full time in order to assure fertile eggs. Hens store sperm, and one mating can fertilize weeks worth of eggs. Seperate him from the hens and allow conjugal visits every 3 days or so. This will cut down on the wear and tear on your hens. Check the hen with the 'hole' neat her wing. The toenails and spurs of a large rooster sometimes injure a hen necessitating treatment of the wound.

 

[ACTWESTWING]

The rooster does not have to be with the hens full time in order to assure fertile eggs. Hens store sperm, and one mating can fertilize weeks worth of eggs. Seperate him from the hens and allow conjugal visits every 3 days or so. This will cut down on the wear and tear on your hens. Check the hen with the 'hole' neat her wing. The toenails and spurs of a large rooster sometimes injure a hen necessitating treatment of the wound.

Thanks so much I will try that!!!