Louisdog
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How many hens per cockerel?Hi all
My friend has 9 hens (2 cochins and the other 7 are marans, sussex and RIR) and one maran cockerel, they are finding that his "favourite" hen is really bald on her back and the others are also low on feathers and starting to look untidy too.
They were wondering if it might be good to add a few more hens, would this help spread Chalky's affections around more?
Does anyone have any general advice on how to stop this? I wondered about those little hen saddles but surely they are not a permanent solution?
Thanks!
Alex
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Bebo
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I've got four hens to one LS cockerel. Two of them are starting to get a bit bald on the back. I think even if you increase the number he will still have his favourites (probably the one that can't run as fast as the others) so I'm not sure it will help matters. I am also considering the purchase of a couple of those silly saddles.
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Mrs Baggins
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My LS boy is in with 10 girls and he happily works his way thru the group - and then when they've all had a good seeing to - it's time to start all over again. He seems very happy indeed with the arrangement. He seems to like them all equally (give or take...) so they have escaped being bonked baldy thus far.
I think the little saddles are hilarious but I was recently told how well they work and scolded for chuckling at them. LOL Good luck!
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Chez
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About four to one is supposed to give you the optimum fertility for large fowl I think. I'd say perhaps try getting another cockerel and the two of them might start competing with each other and even things out among the hens.
I've never tried poultry saddles - they look ridiculous, but I suppose they must work else people wouldn't use them
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alice
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I have 4 unscathed hens to one cockerel....but it's a lavender marriage 
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Chez
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Well, I thought that about Gay Cockerel, you know. But all of a sudden he got the wind in his tail.
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alice
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Nah, he's just past it. We've had him for 3 years and he came with the house. He had his 'medallion man' moment when we got him some young hens for company, after his original ladies succumbed to old age, but he's slowed down a lot this summer. His swinging days are over 
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Chez
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Kind of like the Burt Reynolds of the chicken world?
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Woodburner
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I have only three hens (was four but she was fast so I don't think taking her out changed much) to one cockerel and they are all bare backed and worse! Having seen what a cockerel can do to three hens, I am retrospectively gobsmacked that anyone can give a cockerel just two hens! (Trios) I am currently working hard to redress the balance, and have considered getting some exbats in the meantime!
Be warned, too, that, regardless of how many hens you have, a mature cockerel's spurs can do serious damage to a hen. Dog nail clippers or some other means of trimming spurs is vital.
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Chez
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I also think it depends how much space the hens have got to get away from them. When I was having poor fertility earlier in the year, Pookie suggested I pen them up first thing in the morning to stop the hens getting such a head-start. My lot have half an acre to disappear in to, so the cockerels have to work quite hard to catch up.
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Louisdog
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Thanks for all the replies. I forgot to mention that Chalky's spurs have been trimmed and my friend also filed the edges smooth! Maybe that will help.
He only hatched last year so I guess he is in his prime and will calm down in the next year or two.
They are all in a large pen about 200 sq feet I think.
Perhaps my friend will have to start making the little saddles then 
I will let you all know how she gets on!
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bodger
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Heavier breeds ? Then the ratio of male to female needs to be higher than with lighter breeds.
My LS cock is currently filling just about every egg from a free range hareem of well over twenty birds.
You are always going to get favouritism, with particular chickens getting more attention than others, after all, who wants to s**g an ugly bird ?   
Seriously though, there's very little you can do about a bit of feather damage unless it really gets nasty and then all you can do is to remove the damaged bird.
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colour it green
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we have one cockerel to 12 hens. one of the hens is a bit bald... she is clearly his favourite!
He doesn't have long spurs, i think a lot of the damage comes from the toenails....
she doesn't seem unhappy, and nor does the cockerel! each time we have put eggs int eh incubtor - all have been fertile apart from any from our cream legbar. i dont think he fancies her...
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