Rooster dislikes certain colored hens?

[chickenmomma16]

This question keeps plauging me and I searched on the forum but couldn't find this topic being discussed.

I have had 2 separate instances where my Blue Wheaten Ameraucana has attacked 2 hens. One was a Buff Orpington and I understand why she was attacked because she was a rival rooster's one and only hen. After he was sent to the crock pot the BO was chased and had an eye pecked out by the Ameraucana. Both roosters and all hens shared the same coop and run but she was never accepted. I ended up rehoming her.

The second instance I bought day old chicks and had them raised by a broody in the coop with the whole flock. After the chicks grew into POL pullets I noticed the same rooster keeping the Red Sex-Link pullet away from food esp. treats. After a while I noticed she was thinner than the rest and so I had the opportunity to rehome her to a nice small flock with another quiet sweet hen I had. So as much as I hated it I let her go where she would be happier.

Do these sound like random instances or does this guy not like med red/buff colored hens? I had 2 RIR and he was fine with them. I'd like to get more Red Sex-links eventually but if this guy has a color preference than I will just stick with the Black Sex-links. Ever heard of this before?

He is a really nice guy otherwise!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Is he mean to the other hens or just them?

To me it seems more just like random instances/pecking order stuff rather than color but I could be wrong.

Either way, I'm not sure I would keep a rooster that pecked a hens eye out and was keeping any of the hens away from food. Either he accepts them all or I'd be looking for another rooster. Especially because he's likely to pass those traits on to his offspring.

But I could be wrong

 

[lazy gardener]

He'd be in my crock pot. But, in answer to your question, both roos and hens can be color predjudiced. Broody hens will sometimes reject a chick of a different color, and Roos sometimes show definite favoritism.

 

[chickenmomma16]

@KDOGG331
He's nice and gentle with the other hens. He has never shown any aggression to me not even blinking an eye if I catch and handle a hen. It was just those 2 hens. He treated them like they were a rival rooster.

@lazy gardener
I've had pretty much all different colors in my flock Barred Rock, Welsummer, silver hens, white hens, black hens, different color combo EEs, dark red RIR, and currently shades of Wheaten. Never a problem with them. Just the BO and RSL. The RSL was the most concerning as she was raised with him and there hadn't been any other roosters in eye sight. I do notice his color of choice is black though. Maybe he associates other roosters with the color red/buff.

I've heard of stallions refusing to breed certain color mares is why I kept asking myself that question. I just wasn't sure how good the color aspect of chicken sight was. If I get a chance to get some RSL I may give him one more chance to rule out coincidence of the hens color. But if he turns, it may be a one way trip out of the coop. :/ 3 strikes and your out.

 

[Chicken5555]

I've been wondering the same things lately. I have a gold laced Polish rooster that will ONLY mate with black hens. He won't mate with my gold lace Polish hens (they came from a different source so not related). I want him to mate with his own breed (to make more gold laced chickens lol) but he is so particular that when I removed the black hens he tried to mate a dark brown BBred bantam instead of the gold laced his own size!

My wheaten Ameraucana prefers the buff color easter egger hens, but he will mate the light brown ones too.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hmmm that's weird :/ i guess maybe just don't get that color anymore? I would give him one more try though just be sure. Although I'm still not sure I wouls keep him because it's one thing to just have preferences and not mate them like chicken5555's hen but it's another to attack a hen let alone two. Although he sounds like a good roo otherwise so it could just be a fluke

 

[chickenmomma16]

Hmmm that's weird :/ i guess maybe just don't get that color anymore? I would give him one more try though just be sure. Although I'm still not sure I wouls keep him because it's one thing to just have preferences and not mate them like chicken5555's hen but it's another to attack a hen let alone two. Although he sounds like a good roo otherwise so it could just be a fluke

I know it is so weird... I really like this guy, he is so docile otherwise! And I bought a group of Wheaten Ameraucanas to cross with him this year... He was never handled as a chick but he is so calm around people but definitely respectful keeping a set distance away. I sure hope it's a fluke! I will try to give him one more chance.

 

[Hinotori]

I've never seen color aggression from roosters. Now I have had some that had preferences and would only mate those hens.

Had a black mixed hen who would attack black colored chicks.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I know it is so weird... I really like this guy, he is so docile otherwise! And I bought a group of Wheaten Ameraucanas to cross with him this year... He was never handled as a chick but he is so calm around people but definitely respectful keeping a set distance away. I sure hope it's a fluke! I will try to give him one more chance.

I hope it was just a coincidence! He seems like a great roo otherwise

 

[centrarchid]

Classic Harem Master. I see that routinely with my free-range flocks. Where you have ample room, those harem master roosters are the ones that provide protection for hens and young. The negatives of the arrangement can be controlled by dispersing locations where they can eat and just hang out (loaf). If area tight, then either only one or get the standard dead head rooster that is nice to all hens.

Damage to eyes by rooster unusual, very. Are you certain eye damage did not occur first, and then rooster attacks hen?