Rooster Chasing New Pullets

[KCD]

I recently added 4 hens and 2 pullets to my existing flock that includes a younger (1-2 year old) rooster. I kept the new hens and pullets in a separate coop and run, but the runs have a shared wall of hardware cloth so they were able to see and smell each other etc. They were separated for just under 4 weeks. I put them together and there were some small squabbles with the older hens, as expected, but the rooster started chasing after only the 2 pullets. I should mention the pullets are not yet laying. He's kind of pecking at them but more so running them off. He was completely fine with the other hens. The pullets are 1 Easter egger and 1 rir. He is a jersey giant. He has always been a great rooster and NEVER has been rough with my girls. Is he doing this because they're not laying yet or because they're not yet ready to mate so not submitting to him? They are both the smallest of the flock, obviously, and seem absolutely horrified to be around him. Other than the 2 top hens, they don't have issues with anyone else. So, my question is, do they need to be separated again? I don't want to intervene if they are just working out the new pecking order but he really seems to be going after them. I can't see any injuries or missing feathers on either and I haven't seen him knock/pin then down.

 

[sourland]

I'd be tempted to separate out the rooster and reintroduce him once the pullets start laying.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I wouldn't separate them again. As long as the pullets have room to run away and find protection/a hiding place, I'd leave them alone. Separating them again now just means they all have to go through this again later! Your rooster may think these girls do not belong in the flock, but if they can get away for now, he will come to accept them. Especially if they mingle with your older hens. Just my opinion. . . . Good Luck!

 

[KCD]

Thanks for the feedback! I added a couple extra roosts out in the run. Hopefully they work it out soon!

 

[KCD]

Figured I'd update this in the event someone else is having this issue. Yesterday morning I found a disaster with the pullets. One was dead, she had been literally pecked to death, and the other badly injured. The still alive one was underneath the dead one. It was absolutely horrible! The RIR that survived had been pretty much scalped. I found them crammed into a corner of the coop. I wasn't sure who was responsible but I highly suspected the rooster. I very closely examined everyone and no one had a drop of blood on them, other than the rooster. He had blood all over his legs and beak. I'm terribly upset about this. I'm not sure the injured pullet will make it but she's currently in chicken ICU in the house. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the rooster and then I saw him going after another hen (one that I had before him) so that sealed his fate. Does anyone have any ideas why this happened? He was such a nice rooster before this and had never misplaced a feather on the girls, before now. And why do you think this escalated from chasing without any injury to death? In 8 years of keeping chickens, I've never had something like this happen.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Figured I'd update this in the event someone else is having this issue. Yesterday morning I found a disaster with the pullets. One was dead, she had been literally pecked to death, and the other badly injured. The still alive one was underneath the dead one. It was absolutely horrible! The RIR that survived had been pretty much scalped. I found them crammed into a corner of the coop. I wasn't sure who was responsible but I highly suspected the rooster. I very closely examined everyone and no one had a drop of blood on them, other than the rooster. He had blood all over his legs and beak. I'm terribly upset about this. I'm not sure the injured pullet will make it but she's currently in chicken ICU in the house. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the rooster and then I saw him going after another hen (one that I had before him) so that sealed his fate. Does anyone have any ideas why this happened? He was such a nice rooster before this and had never misplaced a feather on the girls, before now. And why do you think this escalated from chasing without any injury to death? In 8 years of keeping chickens, I've never had something like this happen.

Oh No! That is tragic. I'm so sorry. Did the rooster just go after and kill the "new" hens, or does it seem he went "off" on all of them? Sorry but you need to get rid of that rooster ASAP. I'm so sad for you. Here's a hug.

 

[sourland]

Sadly the behavior that you described frequently escalates to the point of death in an enclosed pen.

 

[KCD]

Oh No! That is tragic. I'm so sorry. Did the rooster just go after and kill the "new" hens, or does it seem he went "off" on all of them? Sorry but you need to get rid of that rooster ASAP. I'm so sad for you. Here's a hug.

He only injured the pullets. The hen that I saw him rip out feathers was an existing hen that's about 3 years older than him and I had her before I even had him. And yes, my husband dispatched him yesterday after I found the pullets.

 

[KCD]

Sadly the behavior that you described frequently escalates to the point of death in an enclosed pen.

They free range all day so are not in an enclosed pen. I did keep the ones in a separate run and coop for about 4 weeks to initially integrate them and they were confined to the coop and run for that time. Other than for injuries or integration, they are only locked in the run and coop when we are traveling (my neighbors are happy to feed, water and collect eggs for us but not too into wrangling them in the evening) and in the evening. I found them in the morning when I was letting everyone out.