Is this mating behavior?

[Vadgo]

I have one speckled sussex roo, 16 weeks that seems to not like my 19 week old barred rocks and buff orpington (or he really likes them and has no clue how to mate)

My three girls will NOT come out of the coop! They have been in there for three days. I saw the speckled hen being mean to everyone so she's in a time-out pen for a week. But the last two days it's been the sussex roo who terrorizes them.

This is what he does. The moment he sees the three girls out of the coop (because I put them out to free range) he makes a bee line for one of them. Immediately the victim runs away and this rooster chases her around. They go around the barn, along the fence, under cars, for a while until he finally catches the hen, grabs her by the neck and looks like it is slaming the head on the ground. Does not make any effort to mount. I finally catch up to him and give him a swift kick, the hen makes an escape, and makes it into the coop, only then will this rooster leave them alone.
It is the exact thing the mean hen was doing, and he does this to my mottled houdan roo who is a the bottom of the pecking roo order. This morning I saw him do this to another roo, and a couple hens.

I was thinking that he's just a dorky teenager that hasn't gotten the technique down, but now I think he's just mean.

I tried to put him in the time-out pen with the hen, but she would have none of it and started to beat him up.

If I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, and say he is just a big clumsy dork, how long would it take for him to straighten out?
Or should I put him in his own time-out pen for a few days and see if that does anything?
Or should I be calling him chicken dumpling and do the deed this weekend?

 

[Lilywater101]

I hate to say this but I think you r gonna have to have him for dinner.

I had a roo who did a similar thing to my hens he was evil and the poor little hens would hide from him sometimes they would not even eat they would just hide in the coop. I think that your roo is over agressive especially if he does it to your lower rank roo. Your roo is not mating but being "dominant" with them. I suggest getting rid of the mean hen also. Many times a chicken's agressive behavior towards each other will not change. A good roo does not "scare" his hens like that.Tthe hens should enjoy the roo's company not hide from him. Thats a good sign that you need to make some chicken soup.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Yes that is mating behavior and he sounds like he's just learning. Once the girls learn to submit to him, it won't look as bad and will only take several seconds to finish. And as far as doing it to the other roo, that is a dominance thing. He is asserting his place in the pecking order and assuring that the lower rooster won't rise up to his level.

 

[kcfuerst]

Unless the intent is to raise more chickie babes, what is the point of having a rooster? They are noisy, eat food and give nothing in return. Hens enjoy the calm life without roosters. What now? Hearty chicken soup sounds great!

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Quote:
Protection. Mine works as a great alarm. IMO, roosters can give a lot in return. Better a rooster to sacrifice HIS life than let the hen get captured. Not to mention they're beautiful.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
My rooster offers the girls protection, finds food for them while foraging and always lets them have the best treats, encourages them at laying time, breaks up girl fights, and keeps a general calm in the flock.
He's worth alot to me. Yes he's a butthead at times, but I wouldn't take money for him.

 

[Vadgo]

Thanks for the replies.
I want to keep a couple of roosters because my flock free ranges on my 10 acres and I'm hoping that they can offer some protection.
I have 8 roosters and I'm watching them to see who will stay and who will go.
Mean roo is a gonner. I kept him and the mean hen away for a few days, and the flock was free ranging nicely and everyone got along great. So those two are going to the soup pot.

But a predator might do the mean roo for me before I get a chance. He refuses to go into the coop at night. I've tried to chase him but can't catch him and by the time I'm done with bedtime routines with my son and go out to lock the coop, I have not been able to find where he's roosting at night. So far he's at my porch the next morning, but I'm not hopeful he'll last much longer if I can't find him at night to put him in with the rest.

I've never processed a chicken before, so my MIL can come in two weeks to help. They will be 18 weeks then, and I'll have to dispatch the other roos that aren't making the cut. Is that big enough to butcher or do they still need a couple of weeks?