Rooster Good to Us, Mean to Hens

[lauralou]

Yeah, he's pretty young. But some roos are always rough with the hens. I dispatched one for that. He actually hurt a hen. On purpose. I saw him do it. Grrrr. It was tough though, he was a perfect gentleman with people.

Then I had a roo who was great with the hens, but aggressive with people. Dispatched.

Hard to find that happy medium.

Keep a close eye on him to make sure nobody really gets hurt. Good luck, whatever you decide to do with Hank.

 

[galanie]

At 5 months mine is just getting into the swing. He is only mean to his girls when he's feeling particularly hormonal. And even then, he only wants some "you know." They shriek and run off (not laying yet but soon maybe) but no one really gets hurt. And I've only lately seen him do the "here's a treat" thing. I'm inexperienced with roosters mostly but from what I'm observing, maybe yours really does just need a bit more time.

 

[sourland]

He's an oversexed teenager dealing with raging testosterone levels. Separate him from the hens until they are mature and laying and reintroduce him when they will be more willing to mate. It's all about the hormones.

 

[GableBabble]

We had a rather large sexlink rooster that would pick on all the hens but one. He killed one frizzle hen I had and almost killed another hen. He then started going after my son and me. He was a very sweet rooster to start with, but just got plain out mean over time. I am not sure why or what caused it. I am not really sure how to offer you help either.

He entered our freezer the last time he attacked my son badly.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Well he may develope a little more finesse as he gets older, or he may not. I don't like the part about him chasing the hens around and also chasing them away from food and treats and gobbling it all up himself. A good rooster will not do that and I don't think I'd keep one around who did.

My RIR roo was a bit of a jerk when he was young about doing his business but it was because he was young and didn't know any better. He did get better in that dept. as he matured. But he will never, ever hog food or treats or chase hens away from food. When I go out and give them treats he will take some from my hand and go and feed it to his girls. Only when he see's that they are all getting some will he come and take a few pieces for himself. And if a hen is right there he defer's to her so she can eat it.

Even when I go in the coop just to fill the feeder/grit/oyster stations he will call the girls in, clucking to them and showing them. It's almost as if he want's to take credit for it! Even as a youngster he would try to show them good places to nest, going in the box or wherever and clucking and sitting like a hen.

If I had your roo I would either separate him out for a while or I would find him another home.

 

[dogsmum]

Sounds good! We are going to give him so more time. Elizabeth pretty much allowed him up on her today and the other girls ran. Later I had to check another hen b/c I thought she was limping (they are all very tame of course) but she gave a little protest when I set her back down and Hank came running around the corner and stopped short when he saw it was me and just flapped his wings and tried to find something interesting on the ground. So I think he means well just is a bit rough when they don't submit. We have been giving him "time outs" but it only seems to make him worse when he gets back with them. Hopefully he'll grow up and start behaving more gentlemanish!

 

[MareeZoCool]

My rooster is approx. 2years old, a fine gentleman. and great hunter for the girls's food & treats. he also seems to keep track of the layers, urging each one to a new nest if she hasn't lay an egg yet today.

 

[bigchicken2]

Some roosters are like this, but usually not this bad, I think he's trying to show he's dominant but doing it too much and attacking them. Some of my roosters do that (because they're young) but not as bad as him. He'll probably grow out of it.

Honestly this is why I don't keep roosters. I don't like how they treat the hens and my hens are happier and MUCH friendlier now with out one. Some people love having a rooster in there flock but I personally don't My rooster did the same thing as yours, he would grab them by their necks and twists them as well, but my girls are bantams I was afraid he would brake there little necks. Not to mention he would trample them smack

I am sorry you have to go thru this, maybe your guy will grow out of it idunno

*gasps*

Typical stereotype. Not all roosters are like that, but because people talk more about bad roosters than good ones, people think that. Most roosters are nice roosters who don't attack people/hens. Also you could get a bantam rooster if you didn't want him to break their necks.​