Thanks for the Harvey Ussery insight. Our rooster dances and courts his barred rock hens, but feather lose is still an issue. We recently combined our two breeds and the rooster did not court these other hens, he just went at it aggressively and this is where I was seeing the serious wounds. We keep the rooster's claws clipped and spurs filed. Sounds like there is more going on here than just mating. This leads to another question, how to integrate new hens to a rooster safely.
--- In CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com, CathrynTherese Fitch Walden <cathryntherese@...> wrote:
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> Lin, Harvey Ussery is right that roosters who dance for their hens have happier hens. Not only do they dance for their hens but they help raise chicks, watch out for the chicks, tell their hens of good places where to lay their eggs, and even help sit on the eggs. My blue silkie cockerel has a good 8-9, 1-2 month old chicks he is raising on his own. I've watched my silkie roosters make a hollow in clean pine bedding, call to his hens, make broody noises and put beddin on his back like he is broody. After his hens lay their eggs in the nest he made, he sits with them and stands guard over them. I am keeping my white frizzled cockerel because he goes one step farther and takes treats to his broodys and keeps a concerned eye on them. These behaviors are not limited to silkies. My white rock rooster is just as caring and gentle to his hens and pullets as my silkie roosters are to theirs. A good rooster/cockerel is worth his weight in gold.
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> CathrynrainbowsilkiesTMMichigan
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CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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