Aggressive rooster

[MooseJ]

I have 12 hens and 1 rooster. The problem I’m having is my rooster is a baney and he beats up my two larger hens and shuns the Cochins. He only hangs around the baney females which are just 4. My big hens have stopped laying which I figure is from him stressing them out. What should I do? This is a first for me.

 

[aart]

My big hens have stopped laying which I figure is from him stressing them out.

Good reason to get rid of him, IMO.
Isolate him for a week or three, see what happens.

 

[chickinlittles]

Hi I have a really friendly WFBS cockeral. He loves be to be held and petted and I do that everyday and have since he was a day old chick. Today he kept going after and pecking one of my EE pullets. She didn’t seem to be doing anything that I could see but he really seemed to have it out for her. They are all only about 9-10 weeks and I have 12 pullets in a variety of breeds. Is there a reason he is acting this way so young? He started crowing about 2 weeks ago and only crows around 9 or 10 am every few days. It’s not loud yet. I read that Roos sometimes pick on thier favorite hens to mate with but that happens when they are much older and the hen is laying, mine are months away from laying. So I’m perplexed and I do not want him beating up on my girls. I’ve always had hens , this is my first cockerel(accidental) I’d love to have a WFBS Roo as they are so interesting and endangered and I do have a female, but if he’s going to be nasty to my pullets I’ll rehome him. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated! Thx

 

[keesmom]

Hi I have a really friendly WFBS cockeral. He loves be to be held and petted and I do that everyday and have since he was a day old chick. Today he kept going after and pecking one of my EE pullets. She didn’t seem to be doing anything that I could see but he really seemed to have it out for her. They are all only about 9-10 weeks and I have 12 pullets in a variety of breeds. Is there a reason he is acting this way so young? He started crowing about 2 weeks ago and only crows around 9 or 10 am every few days. It’s not loud yet. I read that Roos sometimes pick on thier favorite hens to mate with but that happens when they are much older and the hen is laying, mine are months away from laying. So I’m perplexed and I do not want him beating up on my girls. I’ve always had hens , this is my first cockerel(accidental) I’d love to have a WFBS Roo as they are so interesting and endangered and I do have a female, but if he’s going to be nasty to my pullets I’ll rehome him. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated! Thx

Yes, there is a reason he is doing this. Cockerels mature much more quickly than pullets. His hormones are kicking in, he's beginning to act like a teenage jerk and there are no mature birds around to knock any manners into him. Cockerels raised within a same-age flock can be real brutes to pullets. So unless you have a flock of older hens who can school him, you may want to consider separating him until he calms down (which could take a few months) or rehoming him.

 

[chickinlittles]

Thanks for your reply, I’m not set up for separate quarters for him. Would this be at night too? As that would probably be even more of a problem. I am with my birds a lot, I read picking him up and carry him around when he’s acting like this can help? He is not aggressive with me at all. I may decide to part with my pair of WFBS to someone who would like to breed. If anyone in the San Diego area is interested in them let me know. I’d like up see their numbers increase. I do not want his crowing to become a problem for neighbors and I’m afriad separating him may upset him and increase frequency . Thanks again for your input.

 

[keesmom]

It's more work for you, but can you divide the run? Put him in it by day so he can still be with them but not harass them. He could be in the coop at night since all they're going do do is sleep.

 

[centrarchid]

Rooster may not be interested in some of the hens because they are not in lay.

 

[chickinlittles]

Rooster may not be interested in some of the hens because they are not in lay.

All are pullets none are in lay

 

[chickinlittles]

It's more work for you, but can you divide the run? Put him in it by day so he can still be with them but not harass them. He could be in the coop at night since all they're going do do is sleep.

I can probably split the run. I want him to understand I’m the boss so I’ll try the picking him up when he does it and carrying him around for a while and if that doesn’t calm him down some I’ll give that a try. He really is a great bird and I’d hate to get rid of him as he seems to take good care if his girls. They will have free range opportunities when they get a bit older and we do have red shoulder hawks that live on the property and I believe he will be an asset there. They will free range with supervision regardless.

 

[centrarchid]

All are pullets none are in lay

You not MooseJ, hijacker