Not an emergency but please help

[LaurasNew]

I have been keeping my poor brahma rooster seperate to his hens unless I can supervise, so basically, hours I don't have! I have stopped the treats and added more protein all this week. Every chance they get they go for his legs, they either pluck the new feathers or the "quills", prob not the right term, but it is horrific. I need to know if he would do better with more of his own feather legged kind? He is so placid, I do not want to get rid of him but he is miserable without any hens! Should I try to get some brahma pullets or could it just end up the same? I would love to keep them all, but I can rehome laying hens so much more easily. Any advice would be very much appreciated

 

[CHlCKEN]

I would definitely give him time to regrow those feathers while keeping him someplace where he can still see and interact with the flock without getting picked on. Has he just been molting, or were the feather pulled out?

 

[LaurasNew]

I would definitely give him time to regrow those feathers while keeping him someplace where he can still see and interact with the flock without getting picked on. Has he just been molting, or were the feather pulled out?

He has been molting but as the new feathers come in they pluck them, or they pluck at the place they come out of, then he bleeds and if I leave them for any time at all it's awful. Do you think his own breed would treat him differently? They are well looked after with no reason to fight over food etc.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Do you think his own breed would treat him differently?

No. To me it sounds like he might have picked at them himself while they first started to grow in (it can be uncomfortable) and accidentally made himself bleed. They’re attracted to the color red and will always try to peck at it which just initiates the cycle of bleedpeckbleed morepeckbleed even more lol. He needs time to heal so it isn’t something everyone will want to mess with.

 

[nuthatched]

What type of protein are you adding? Only for a week? Can you get painless peepers for the girls?

 

[LaurasNew]

Scrambled egg and tuna, maybe a week isn't enough? I did look at peepers for them but the results were worrying. They are great hens and I can hold them easily. I would hate for them to suffer at all if there was an easier way

 

[nuthatched]

Scrambled egg and tuna, maybe a week isn't enough? I did look at peepers for them but the results were worrying. They are great hens and I can hold them easily. I would hate for them to suffer at all if there was an easier way.

They won't hurt them, it's likely habit and will be hard to break. Bluecote or green/blue food dye on his legs might help.
Get some high protein feed, I wouldn't bother with eggs or tuna, that will throw off their nutrition.