I am hoping someone on here can help me figure this out.
I have a pair of bantam cochins (purchased and raised together) and 7 standard size hens (1-2 years old), and 3 young Marans (2 of which I think are roos) when I added the bantams in with the hens everything was fine until the bantam rooster matured and started mating. He's simply too small for the standard size hens and ends up riding their backs and tearing them up as a result.
Tearing them up is unrelated to his size. It's either clumsiness, or outright aggression. Some roosters mix attacking with mating.
Over the years I've had many dozens of bantam roosters free ranging with standard hens, currently I have a pure Japanese bantam rooster in with them, and none have ever made a mess of the hens, even if they picked a hen who wasn't interested and therefore went for an impromptu rodeo ride. Even large roosters trying to mate with unwilling hens don't mess them up at all, unless they are of an abusive nature.
I have recently separated him with his hen and 1 standard size hen that has been a bully and I have purchased two more bantam cochin pullets (they can't go in with him just yet they are only 5 weeks old) My question is will he stay with this new established flock if everyone is free ranging? Or because he used to mate with the standard size hens he will always try if ever given a chance?
Chickens have their preferences in terms of what they look for in mates. If he's got a fetish for large hens he will always be that way. He won't bond to whatever you cage him with just due to familiarities' sake.
The reason I ask is I have the opportunity to get another bantam rooster that is 5 weeks old and these new pullets are so hand raised they are the sweetest chicks I've ever had and wonder if starting out with new rooster that doesn't have this behavior already established is the way to go? Not sure what to do?
It's got very little to do with established behavior or habits in my experience, and everything to do with what temperament he has inherited. I've had many cockerels hit puberty and launch straight into the best possible stereotype of great rooster behavior, taking great care of hens and chicks, and I've had others that launch straight into the worst possible stereotype of terrible rooster behavior, aggressive to all animals and humans as well. It's not about habit. It's about inherent inclinations. Both types of cockerels usually show their predispositions long before they actually hit puberty but the signs can be too subtle for many people to pick up, especially inexperienced people.
My suggestion would be to consider what temperament you want to breed on, what social dynamics you will accept in your flock (I can see you're already against bullies if you've removed a bully hen, kudos for that). What abusive traits you accept, and allow to breed, you perpetuate, and it becomes a quality of life issue for the victims of the aggressive ones, not to mention future generations descended from the genetic lines you are currently steward of.
Typically if you just act like an aggressive rooster back, like one that is not going to take this little guy's crap, they back off. They need to know that you are top cock.
Personally, with all due respect, I disagree with this. The safest rooster is one who understands you're not a chicken and respects you nonetheless. Roosters who think humans are chickens, and hens too, are often all the more dangerous because if you are a chicken, you are in the pecking order, and there are no permanent alphas in chicken society. Everyone gets old, or sick, or hurt, sooner or later, and the subordinates are always watching and ready to seize their chance to depose the erstwhile alpha.
Also, some of them are also sexually attracted to humans, a dangerous mentality precisely because it's also an either/or proposition in their minds. Either you're a potential mate, or you're a potential enemy. There isn't anything else for most roosters who view humans as being chickens.
If you have to use threats or abuse to keep an animal from attacking you, its worth as a breeder must be questioned. There's plenty of great roosters out there dying for want of a good home because people allocate those resources to abominable little Hitlers instead.
Best wishes.
