6 Month Cockerel Attacking 2 Year Hens

[FreedomFarmer]

There are lots of posts about aggressive and mean roosters here and each are unique which is understandable. I can't find one matching close enough to mine to make a decision what to do.

I have 3 hens that are 2.5 years old raised from chicks. In June I made a bad mistake buying 3 chicks at a local farmers market which I knew was risky from the sex perspective. They were too young to be certain of the sex. I wanted 3 hens but ended up with 2 roos and one hen.

When the 2 cockerels reached mating age around 18 weeks it appeared they would try to mate with the 3 older girls, and they wanted nothing to do with it. Never been around a rooster. But one day when one cockerel had one of the hens down the other cockerel started attacking the head or neck of the hen. No blood or damage to the hen. I chased it away pretty quick. I got rid of the one cockerel shortly after that episode. I knew there were too many roosters to hens so was going to have to get rid of one anyway. I got rid of the one that went for the head.

A few days later I went to the coop and run to let them free range for the day as I always do. There were black feathers all over the small coop floor and I notice the black silky almost had no tail feathers and it looked like she was missing feathers from other places. I had been noticing small spots of missing feathers on the shoulders of the small production red. I attributed it to the inexperience cockerel mounting her. With all of this I noticed the 3rd hen was missing tail feathers.

As all of this was happening within about 2 weeks after the one cockerel was gone, the 3 hens would not leave the coup. I enlarged the coop too.

A few days ago I went to the coop after it had been open all morning and saw red feathers all over the large open area of the coop. The small red hen had a bald spot on its breast, and I could tell lots of feathers were missing from her body as well as the tail. Since then I get the 3 hens and the one young hen into the small original part of the coop close the door to it in the morning so they have that coop and the closed run. I let the young hen out after I have left her in there long enough to lay her egg. I leave the other three in there all day.

The cockerel and the young hen free range all day after I let her out. They are soulmates. They follow each other around all day and have since I got them in June. Yesterday when I let her out she trotted off pretty quick calling out for him. I wonder if the cockerel thinks he is protecting the young hen from the older 3.

It is impractical to separate them as I am doing now and won't work with winter coming. I don't have separate runs and no time to build a second one.

Finally my question. Will this young Cockerel soon stop attacking the others, especially the small red hen? I worry he is going to draw blood or seriously hurt or kill the older hens.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

First, do you really need a rooster at all? Do you plan to hatch eggs? If not, you really don't need a rooster. You'll get all the eggs you need without one.

Second, I believe it's @Mrs. K that says "solve for peace in the flock." If your cockerel is stressing your hens, they won't lay like they should, they won't be productive. He could do them some serious injury.

You say your hens are 2.5 years old. The cockerel may not be responsible for all the loose feathers you are seeing. It's molting time and your hens are of an age to be molting. But the fact that the hens don't want to leave the coop - that does sound like he is being too rough with them.

Can you watch them and see what's happening? They may not like to submit to him because he is young but as long as he is not actually hurting them, drawing blood, it may be best to just let them work it out. Eventually they should submit to him and he might make a good flockmaster. He may just need time to mature.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Incidentally, what are you feeding them?

 

[FreedomFarmer]

Thank you for the quick reply @BigBlueHen53. I had it set up to give the rooster to someone this morning but put that on hold until I got opinions here.

I did not intend to have any roosters. My mistake at the farmers market. I'll never buy at one of those again. My intent was to get older than day to week old heat lamp stage chicks.

I thought about the molting possibility but the one with massive feather loss and bald breast happened within a few hours. All 3 stay at least 5 feet from him. If he gets closer they run over to me or cower and huddle in a corner. Before I started separating them during the day I image they scattered and try to hide when he was around.

The egg laying pretty much stopped all summer. Mostly because of the roosters as you said, I am sure. There were other factors that probably contributed and some were my fault like spoiling the chickens with treats. I learned a lot about diet on this forum so that has changed. But one of the hens layed an egg 2 days ago. I know because it was much larger than the eggs the young hen started laying about a week ago.

It is hard to keep an eye on them together when I have other things to tend to on the farm all day. I do get them together in the evening when I go see them for a while before dark. That is when I see them cower, come close to me, or huddle in a corner when he gets close.

What am I feeding them?
They eat a lot of Purina Layer Crumbles. I also put out Dumor Layer Pellets. They eat more crumbles than pellets. In the evening they get some scratch grain and meal worms. I typically and always have picked dandelion leaves and grass for them on the way to the coop in the evening. A habit I started when they were not free ranging.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

This sounds distressing to you as well as to the hens and I'm sorry for that. I do think rehoming the cockerel sounds like the best move for all involved.

Since your hens are not actively laying, I would encourage you to switch them to an all-flock or grower formula and provide oyster shell in a separate dish that they can help themselves to as they need it. It's easier on their kidneys than getting calcium they don't need. But don't waste the layer feed, just mix it until you use it all up. I love it that you're doing the best you can for your flock.

 

[FreedomFarmer]

Thank you for your advice and guidance. His soulmate is probably going to be depressed and feel lost for a bit.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you for your advice and guidance. His soulmate is probably going to be depressed and feel lost for a bit.

Not for long, she'll get over it.

 

[FreedomFarmer]

@BigBlueHen53 the rooster was picked up by a friend this morning. After seeing the 3 huddled under the overhang at their door to the run with rain pouring down, basically afraid of being inside the coop with him, I decided it is time for him to go. Figured not good for their health with snow, cold rain, and freezing temps coming over the winter months. Thanks again for your thoughts, advice and guidance. I've also been praying about this decision for a while too.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Some decisions are difficult, but one has to choose what's best for the majority. You did good.

 

[McChooky]

I got rid of one that grabbed them by the neck and threw them down on the ground when he wanted to mate. He didn't have to draw blood or yank feathers out .He was a beast