Roo VS Hen Help

hotmessJess said:

They're all free range and I have 6 hens. It's really only two roosters (I have a bunch of young cockerels that aren't going to be around long enough to be interested). I know that's still a high roo to hen ratio, but this is the first time I've had a problem and it's just the one hen. I don't know what it is about her.

I think I'm going to process the one rooster. I'm on the fence about the other. I just think it's really odd that they singled in on her.

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Culling the more aggressive rooster sounds like a good plan. Are any of the cockerels of interest to you? You could process both older males and introduce a young cockerel. The hens could teach him better manners.

jnbelknap said:

I have not tried removing the rooster. The flock free-ranges, so he is their protector, but I am definitely open to it. What is that supposed to change? How long?

Do you think I need another rooster for a flock of 28 hens?

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The hope would be he would be gone long enough for the hens to forget him and he'd have to work to be flock leader. And hopefully forget about your Orpington. I can't guarantee it would work, it's the only option I can think of.

Did the Orpington hatch eggs from your flock? If you want a second male for extra eyes or for breeding purposes keeping one of the cockerel chicks is a good way to add a new young male. He'd learn good manners from the older birds.

keesmom said:

Culling the more aggressive rooster sounds like a good plan. Are any of the cockerels of interest to you? You could process both older males and introduce a young cockerel. The hens could teach him better manners.

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I do have two I'm trying to decide between that would be better suited for my females. The roos (technically still cockerels themselves at about 6 months) are the offspring of cornish x, so they're already big for my girls to begin with. I do have one that is more pet status, though.

I just worry that I'll go through the process of taking these birds outback only to find that there was something wrong about my hen.

Is there any significant reason you could think they would single one out? Other than the feathers, she appears to be in great shape, she just started laying again, and she's worm/disease free. It's just confusing me, especially since she's quick and I've two other hens that are slow and clumsy.

hotmessJess said:

Is there any significant reason you could think they would single one out? Other than the feathers, she appears to be in great shape, she just started laying again, and she's worm/disease free. It's just confusing me, especially since she's quick and I've two other hens that are slow and clumsy.

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My guess would be she's lowest in the pecking order. Least likely to tell them off and fend off their advances. Then when one corners her the other wants to join in.

I would also suggest removing the rooster for a month or two in his own pen, it will allow the hen to reintegrate into the flock, then when he's released he should have enough to do so he doesn't focus on the hen.

keesmom said:

My guess would be she's lowest in the pecking order. Least likely to tell them off and fend off their advances. Then when one corners her the other wants to join in.

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This must be an unfortunate new development, because up until recently she was at the top, second to only one other hen. She's part of my first flock and she helped bring those roos up from chicks. I wish there was someway (other than processing) to get this to stop. But I know how this goes... I just hope the upcoming rooster doesn't act this way towards her.

Update: I removed Neville, the rooster, for 5 weeks. My hen immediately regained her standing in the pecking order and went back to her sweet, happy self.

I reintroduced the roo to the flock. Helga, the hen, refuses to submit, and it caused him to beat her up again. She has a bloody comb and is now very anxious with him back.

He is a total gentleman to all the other hens. Helga used to submit to him, but now she fights back. What would you do in my situation? Would adding another rooster help or worsen the situation? Do I need to rehome one of them? If so, how do I pick which one?

I would wait and see, the hens should submit, if he's leaving her alone since he dominated her I would wait to see if all is settled now. If he continues to attack her for no reason I would remove the rooster.