Aggressive rooster

[ellisonfarm]

why does my rooster scalp a hen? We have 18 hens and 1 rooster. We had this happen before with another rooster. Now our new one is doing the same. What gives? Her head isn't to the point of it bleeding or anything like that right now. She just is bald.

 

[1muttsfan]

When roosters mount hens they grab some feathers on their heads to steady themselves. Some roosters really hold on tightly, and may pull out some feathers. Often roosters will have a favorite or two, and those hens may suffer more feather loss.

 

[ellisonfarm]

When roosters mount hens they grab some feathers on their heads to steady themselves.  Some roosters really hold on tightly, and may pull out some feathers.  Often roosters will have a favorite or two, and those hens may suffer more feather loss.

But the the point a hen will bleed?

 

[MillersFarm]

i'm having the same problem with are three easter eggers and so me made them a little pen inside the main barn and gave them a little pasture to graze in, so i would suggest doing the same

 

[ellisonfarm]

Other than isolating him from the rest of the flock what can be done?

 

[azygous]

If the hen is of a breed with little or no comb, the rooster will grab the skin on the back of the head of the hen to maintain his balance. After a while the feathers wear off and you see a bald spot. There really isn't much you can do about it except keep the rooster in his own pen so he can girl watch but not physically interact. Don't worry, he'll get used to it.

I dealt with my roosters in this way for years until I got good at predicting what sort of roo a young cockerel would be by the way he behaved with the hens when he first begins trying to mate. I observe the different techniques, and each roo is different, and select the cockerel with the least aggressive manner toward the hens. Some are easier on the hens than others and you need to make a wise choice when it comes to selecting a cockerel to keep.

There really is no downside to keeping a roo separate. It does make for a less stressful flock in general, at least until a rooster comes of age and mellows out.

 

[wild chick]

I have 1 roo and 8 hens (I did have 9, but a coyote got one a couple of weeks ago). They are locked up at night and free range all day, so plenty of room & space all day. All the hens except 2 are ragged, but especially 3 or 4, down to bare backs & wings. 6 of the 8 are wearing saddles, two with wing protectors. The only thing I have to keep the roo separate is a large wire dog crate. Could I set that in the chicken run so he could watch them come and go while they heal? One is getting a bare head & I refuse to make bonnets! I hate that they are wearing "clothes" at all. We do want chicks, so how often would I let him out to keep the hens laying fertile eggs, in case we get a broody one? Also, a friend who is in her 70's said they had chickens in her younger years and never saw anything like this and was wondering if this aggressive rooster thing is due to large hatcheries having high-drive to keep hens fertile, thus passing this trait on to the chicks? Thanks in advance!

 

[ellisonfarm]

She doesn't look horrible. But I've had worse on a hen. And how old until the roo meets maturity? He's 8 months old now. And a good looking bird. I don't want to keep him cooped up by himself. They free range 2-3 times a week. And the rest of the time they are kept in the run.

 

[wild chick]

Yes, ellisonfarm, I don't like the idea of keeping my roo up either, but I hate the saddles and the raw wings. What's up with this? But I'll ditch the rooster if it saves the hens.. Mine came all together as day-olds from a hatchery. They won't be a year old until June, so still officially cockerel and pullets. Will he settle down in a few months? Still looking for answers - how to keep a roo and happy healthy hens that don't have to wear armor.

 

[azygous]

It's normal for young cockerels to be a little harder on hens than older roosters. This is why many of us keep our cockerels in adjacent pens separate from the hens until they're over a year old. By that time, hormones have settled down, and a rooster is not the aggressive, manic devil he was at puberty.

As long as a cockerel can see and talk to the hens through a fence, the are quite content. If you would install your cockerel in such an enclosure, you would see he carries on "conversations" with the hens and they with him. Everyone is still part of the same flock except for the physical interacting.

It's a myth that animals (or even humans) become psychotically frustrated when not allowed to fulfill sexual functions.