Hi all...I am very sad to check in with some grave news. Tomorrow my beloved EE roo is going to the pot. He just recently matured, and isn't even a year old yet. My problem is that he has started going over to my neighbors flock (we have adjoining yards) and attacking the dominant hens. He not just only rapes them (by rape i mean they try to run away when he presents to them, and he will chase them down and rather forcefully mate). The day before yesterday, I saw him purposefully hunt 1 of them down (he ignored all the other perfectly mate-able hens) and present to her. she rejected him, and he attacked her like he would another rooster. he flew up, landed on her head with his feet, leapt up into the again and again, each time landing on her head. She was terrified and cowered on the ground in the stupor, while I ran over and threw my daughter's toy at him to get him off. She was stunned, and lay on the ground, in a cowering position for 15-20 minutes after the attack. He did it again yesterday, and today i kept him penned up.
He does not do this to my hens, nor does he do it to the other less dominant hens. I don't know what to do, and I held him for the last time tonight as i quietly cried and said my last good byes. So far, he is not people-aggressive, but I don't know if he will become that way. Worst thing is, I had a chick injured, and she was nearly blinded. She has a very close bond to this rooster, and I am afraid that when he gets culled, she will be very depressed to lose her nest mate. they have never been separated since i brought them home. I am sad for her, and I am sad for my beautiful roo.
Do i have any hope?
He does not do this to my hens, nor does he do it to the other less dominant hens. I don't know what to do, and I held him for the last time tonight as i quietly cried and said my last good byes. So far, he is not people-aggressive, but I don't know if he will become that way. Worst thing is, I had a chick injured, and she was nearly blinded. She has a very close bond to this rooster, and I am afraid that when he gets culled, she will be very depressed to lose her nest mate. they have never been separated since i brought them home. I am sad for her, and I am sad for my beautiful roo.
Do i have any hope?