9 Week Old Cockeral Already Really Mean. Killed both Pullets

[happydodgefarm6113]

We purchased beautiful lavender Americauna chicks in Feb. and they were doing so well. I still had them inside in a large cage due to bad cold weather here in NY. Monday we had a bad
thunderstorm and when I woke up the biggest pullet was lying dead in the brooder. She had been perfectly fine at 1:00am. I thought maybe she died of a heart attack from the thunder and lightening.
No other signs of sickness. I suspected the cockeral may have killed her because when I cAme into the room he starts to strut and bob like he thinks I am a threat. My son said no he would protect the
pullets. Well this morning my other slow growing pullet had a broken leg and wing. As I walked in the cockeral jumped on her 2 times before I could remove her. I couldnt believe it. I should have
seperated them Monday.
HAVE ANY OF YOU ENCOUNTERED MEAN COCKERALS AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE? Now we are thinking about what to do with this mean bird. I dont know what I will do with him. He just seems so young to
be this mean.

 

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

When you found the pullet that was dead did she has broken wings anything....??? if not it might have been the thunderstorm

Though about the brocken wing on the other girl, I dont think its that hes mean, I think its because hes trying to mount them now, And cockerals..... Psstt trust me they can be rough and really bad at trying to mount, and the pullets will scream because they are not sexually mature. I would seperate him for a while until your girls are mature.

 

[teach1rusl]

I'm not sure what's going on, but I highly doubt that a 9 week old cockerel could have killed his flockmate, nor broken a wing/leg of one. Not sure why the one died, but the other I would suspect injured its wing/leg in some other way. Chickens will often attack sick or injured flockmates...kind of "survival of the fittest" kind of thing. I've seen it with a sickly hen of mine. Do you have any idea of how the pullet chick could have been injured, other than the cockerel?? Could it have been roughly handled or dropped by someone in the family? Is the brooder large enough for it to have enough "umph" to fly/run into the side, enough to create those injuries???

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My first thought was maybe the thunderstorm scared them and they killed themselves on the brooder...... did you check to see if their necks were broken as well? I know my chickens freak when it storms. The thunder will boom and they'll hop, pop and fly all over inside the coop. Could this be a possibility? So sorry about your poor little pullets

 

[Fred's Hens]

Unless that cage is enormous, I'd put money on self injury due to panic. Just wondering how large the cage is and how many residents it held at it's peak.

 

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

Quote:
I really think the cockeral might be getting rough with the hens, with the attempt of trying to mate. though I don't believe a 9 week old cockeral killed a pullet. And it does make sense to me that that the pullet is ingured because of the storm, He could be jumping on her tryig to mate.... or trying to get rid of her because shes weak, ad like they said the ingured will be killed a lot of the time.

 

[happydodgefarm6113]

Thanks for your replys. I dont know what happened to my first post but it sure is messed up.
The brooder had 3, 9 wk old chicks. The two pullets and the one cockeral had lots of room, it was a 3ft by 2ft and about 2 ft tall. We let them out each day and they were all healthy. Always fresh water and still using med. crumble. The cockeral was already trying to crow. It has just been too cold at night to put them out. They were spoiled. I agree the thunderstom must have really frightened the first pullet and the cockeral gets really excited and starts to run and hop and wlill not be careful with the other two. Maybe he is just high strung. Well thanks for your input. I am very sad about losing these girls.