Bare back hens

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Nome89
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Bare back hens

Post by Nome89 » Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:19 pm

Just curious...
My Batam brahma roo has pulled all the feathers out on the backs of his "fav" hens. I have removed him once and let them grow back just to have them all go back to being bare again.
He doesn't seem aggressive with them but they look terrible with no feathers...
Will removing his spurs stop this? Or are there other ways to stop it?
Thanks!
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ross
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Re: Bare back hens

Post by ross » Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:29 pm

Silkie Sue has a remedy . Saddles .
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Nome89
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Re: Bare back hens

Post by Nome89 » Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:41 pm

Thanks Ross!
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Killerbunny
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Re: Bare back hens

Post by Killerbunny » Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:09 pm

Saddles work well. Check whether he is taking the feathers out on top of the wing joint too because you can get a saddle with a wing cover too.
My hens got their revenge, I noticed them carefully plucking one of my boys legs bare!
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Ontario Chick
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Re: Bare back hens

Post by Ontario Chick » Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:36 pm

Removing spurs will not help, they aren't used during mating, just for direct attack ;)
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Nome89
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Re: Bare back hens

Post by Nome89 » Mon May 01, 2017 10:46 am

Thanks ontariochick and killerbunny
He is only getting their back feathers... and they look naked..
I have never had my other roos do this so I wasn't sure..
It's fairly "normal" then?
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Killerbunny
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Re: Bare back hens

Post by Killerbunny » Mon May 01, 2017 11:13 am

Yup! Doing his job. Getting the saddles will also protect the bare ones from sunburn too until their feathers grow back.
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:iheartpto:
Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
:turkey:

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Re: Bare back hens

Post by Ontario Chick » Mon May 01, 2017 1:56 pm

Like KB said, quite normal, usually happens with an inexperienced cockerel, too few hens, or too few "favorite and willing" hens ;)
some economically minded roosters will only mate with hens that are laying, that may cut down on number of "available" hens.
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Re: Bare back hens

Post by Killerbunny » Mon May 01, 2017 2:25 pm

Lucky always preferred the 1 or 2 year old hens - biddies were usually left alone!
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:iheartpto:
Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
:turkey:

:bat:

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Re: Bare back hens

Post by KimChick » Mon May 01, 2017 8:14 pm

And here I thought mine were pecking at each other (which I have seen happen). You mean it's the rooster on their backs? When doing so, he tries to hang on to either their combs or their neck feathers. Our roo is young yet, not even a year old in our years.
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