Aggressive rooster harming young pullets

[aryanromo]

Since they arrived, our rooster has been nothing but trouble for our now 9-wk old chicks. We have done everything right - we put them in a "toddler" room in the middle of the coop so our roo and chicken could see them & interact with them for several weeks. We moved them to a "teenager" room where the chicks could get out but the roo and hen couldn't get in. He paces aggressively in front of the "teenager" room & they chirp in fear and huddle.

We moved to "free-ranging." Again, they can get in & out, but the roo can't get in. They spend so much of their time in this area that I had to go pick up a couple extra waterers. When they do come out, he chases them just the way he does other little birds that come into the yard - he's very territorial (he'll face down our Lab). He's cornered one chick and pecked it pretty badly before I intervened & rescued her.

I can't get them to go into the coop at night - they huddle in the teenage room and go nuts & get panicky if I try to shoo them inside and he's there. I think they would gravitate towards our big girl, but he won't let them near her.

Last night (and tonight) I put him in the garage instead of the coop. Is there anything else I should be doing?

 

[amynrichie]

You are doing great. I don't have enough experience to suggest anything different as far as integration. The rooster should actually be the easiest to integrate with - more hens for him! I know others may have differing opinions, but I would probably reconsider keeping that particular rooster.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Separate them again till the chicks get about the same size of the rest of your chickens and then try again. Or send the rooster down the road.

 

[aart]

I would isolate your cock/erel and integrate the chicks with the rest of the flock.
He sounds like trouble, might not be worth keeping him, how old is he?
IMO a good cockbird would not be doing what you describe.

 

[aryanromo]

We don't know how old the rooster is. A neighbor gave him to us about 2 years ago (no idea why my husband took him) & he was full grown then. He's missing his Spurs & a toe, so I've also wondered if he was used in fighting.

I have separated him from the rest & things are going much better.

 

[aart]

We don't know how old the rooster is. A neighbor gave him to us about 2 years ago (no idea why my husband took him) & he was full grown then. He's missing his Spurs & a toe, so I've also wondered if he was used in fighting.

I have separated him from the rest & things are going much better.

So he's old enough to know better, rather than a 5-8 month old that hasn't fully matured yet......I'd get rid of him and not hatch out any eggs fertilized by him.

 

[donrae]

I'm with aart. Not sure that rooster has a place in your flock.

How many hens do you have besides the littles? Just the one?

If you're invested in keeping the rooster, I'd say place him apart from the others. Let the littles and the big hen(s) learn to get along for a few weeks. Then, you could try letting him out and range with them. You may have to wait until the pullets are sexually mature, then he'll see them as mates/harem and not intruders.

Or, decide if you really want to keep him......

 

[Beekissed]

He's chick aggressive and too old to change now. I'd eat that one. He isn't good for much of anything except eating as you won't want to breed from him and he's not valuable as a flock master if he's chick aggressive.

If you don't currently have one, I'd invest in a nice, cheap pressure canner and get familiar with its usage so you can easily dispose of problem birds and also cull your flock when they age out of laying. Canning chickens is the great equalizer and renders all birds tender and flavorful for eating.

 

[lazy gardener]

Ditto what the last 3 experienced posters have said. That roo is good for nothing more than a dinner invitation. A good roo is chick friendly. My roo even does well with the cockrels.