Rooster attacking hen

[mtminstrel]

I'm new to having chickens but I've had my hens for a few months and recently got a rooster. He's pretty protective which he should be, except for attacking me. I have been noticing that one of my hens is afraid of him. All the others are quite calm around him. When she comes around he darts at her and she runs away. Just now I was watching them in the coop and he jumped on her and I thought they were going to do the deed. She took the submission pose but what he did nest upset me. Three times he pecked at her head and then stomped her head with his foot. Is this normal behavior? His behavior was the same as when he tries to attack me. Posture...peck...stomp. Help

 

[SamuelMcF]

Yes this sounds normal. It sounds to me like they were just mating. Him Chasing her around is normal also. And if there's little fights its just him having to prove himself to the ladies. If he's attacking you now thats a problem. you have to make sure he knows who's head rooster. Some chickens just never get it though and that ends in the stew pot...

 

[sourland]

It's time for either him or the hen to go. Since he is being aggressive towards you too, I vote for his removal. His behavior towards the hen will probably escalate until it reaches the point where he kills her. After that, another may become his target. He's got a oouple of loose wires in that little pea brain. His behavior towards the hen after she submitted is absolutely abnormal behavior. Time for his genes to be removed from the pool.

 

[This_chicks_place]

Quote:
I agree! I have a mean young roo who has gone after my husband and I recently. He's off to freezer camp this weekend..... with no arts and crafts scheduled in the morning!

 

[sourland]

No arts and crafts.

 

[dufus]

i'm not a chicken expert by any means, but i remember dad saying that if a rooster attacked you in the yard, he won't stop. he will come after you again, so he usually killed them. problem is, by then they are so old and tough, you can't get a fork in the gravy. my sister was laughing the other day about an old RIR rooster that spurred mom in the back, while she was hanging out the wash, [ rural MS, 1954 ] and dad seperating his head before the sun went down.

 

[mtminstrel]

Well this morning when I went over to let them out and feed them I decided to wear my rubber boots and gloves. I opened the back door and they came out. I went around and in the coop and he came in but he didn't get anywhere near me. Hmmmm. I'm going to watch them today to see if he is still doing this. I already warned my friend that she may be getting him back lol. She say he never ever attacked her. Maybe she wore rubber boots. judy

 

[Wildflower_VA]

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That brings back memories for me! When I was about 12 years old, I was hanging out wash on the line while my mother was sweeping the walk nearby. She was a very gentle lady, but when a RIR rooster attacked me and spurred me in the back, my mom beat him off with the broom. She didn't kill him, but forever after that the rooster walked around like he was dizzy, with his head twisted to the side. He was a beautiful rooster and had always been people friendly up until that point when he flipped out.

 

[sourland]

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Well, that's OK for you, but is he still attacking the hen?

 

[mtminstrel]

Well now that he's not attacking me I've been spending much more time out there and observing. Things seem to be ok but I'm going to keep watching.