Help with rooster!

[chicken lady kier]

So I have 4 year old hens and an a rooster i believe will be 1 around October! The girls are like a golden comet, he is a black java, and ALOT BIGGER than the girls. Any ways he has decided to mount the girls every second he gets. Its to the point that they are terrified and run from him constantly, and one which seems to be his favorite has part of her comb damaged feather plucked out at the top of her head and now has a gimp in her walk. Just curious to ser if anyone else has had this problem, and what they did to help/prevent this. I truly love.my chickens and the rooster even, hes not agressive toward humans what so ever. And i dont want to resort to rehoming any of them, but lately i just want to ring his neck. This is my first time posting so hope im.doing it right!

 

[RorieRiveter]

A rooster needs about a dozen hens to satisfy his needs. That's assuming all dozen hens are interested in mating. I keep a rooster to about 30 hens, some of whom are older and less interested. I find my roosters mellow a bit each year, so for the first two years I alternate them being in the hen yard and keeping guard from an elevated chicken box (perched on the bunny hutch.) The guard box enables the guy in the box to alert another guy in the yard for flying predators. When I sequester a rooster to the chicken box, I visit him and hold him often, stroking his feathers, telling him what important work he is doing (we have a serious hawk issue here), and impressing upon him the importance of courtship and patience. I find this helps with lots of repetition. I visualize what I am speaking while I speak it to my guy. I insist upon gentleman roosters, and they rise to the occasion. I hope this helps.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

First of all, welcome.

Unfortunately you have a teenage rooster and he will continue to be active for a while. Someone else may have some suggestions, but we simply had to get rid of some of ours when we had them. I had the opposite problem, we had a banty roo and he couldn't get the girls to let him mount so he would grab their combs and just hold on with them trying to get away. It was simply too stressful for everyone (hens and people) so we rehomed him.

Teenagers do settle down, but sometimes not fast enough to not do some damage. Good luck and I hope someone else has some suggestions.

 

[chickflick]

I had a rooster that was the horniest thing I've ever seen. Never outgrew it. The hens were terrified of him. He also had his favorite. I truly do believe that she died of all the stress he put her thru. He went to new home.
If the hens are that terrified of him, then he needs to go. You need a rooster that has some manners and protects his girls. He's one, not a teenager anymore.

 

[chicken lady kier]

Thanks! Well he wont be one till October he just started crowing maybe 6 weeks ago. And it was like he started crowing and a few days later he turned into mr hot stuff. Ive been told that maybe i should keep him put up away from the girls but i let them out during the day so they can go as far as they want. And he is not far behind... but the one he picks on most keeps to her self and hides under my porch ive been taking her out before the rest in the morning so she can get some peace and eat and drink the second he comes out she takes cover its so sad, and if i get rid of him my 3.5 year old daughter will be upset she loves him. They are family members not just a farm animals. Im so torn over what to do. I had 50 before i had my daughter 6 were bantams & 4 were roosters and they did the same thing with the big hens but the big hens would just turn around and peck the crap out of them!! Im thinking of maybe getting a big dog kennel like the 10x10 and keep him in there during the day i would just feel bad keeping him locked up! AHHHHHH

 

[RorieRiveter]

The herb epazote quells libido. Maybe get him a private chicken box and start his day with some fresh foraged epazote? It should be coming up just about everywhere anytime soon!

 

[chickflick]

Maybe find a new home for his favorite hen. That would help her have a happy life and not be in constant fear and hiding under porches.

 

[cafarmgirl]

My rooster is 5 years old and still going strong in regards to mating so waiting this out is not an option if your hen is to have any peace. My rooster has 10 hens and he still has one or two that are favorites and get much more attention then the others and one hen has taken a real dislike to him. So lately I keep him in a run during the day and let him out in the late afternoon/early evening to roam the pasture with the girls. He doesn't like it much but the hens are much more relaxed.

Something else to consider regarding your rooster. He is just about 6 months old right? The hormones are kicking in and this is the age where temperment towards humans often changes drastically. I just say that because you mentioned you have a 3 1/2 year old who loves this rooster. Just keep a very close eye on him because they can decide to attack in the blink of an eye and they are capable of serious damage, especially to small children. You may be lucky and have a rooster who remains gentle with people but many of them turn into green eyed monsters when the hormones hit.