Aggressive Young Rooster Singling Out Hen

[Fancychicken10]

Hello, I could really use some help here. My pet brood I raised in the house are integrated with the adult flock. As of yesterday, my young silkie roo started crowing. He has started incessantly attacking my sumatra pullet, who he was raised with. The two of them have had a dominance thing since they were a few days old but always got along- she was always dominant to him. Yesterday when I discovered the crowing, they both started aggressing at each other, and neither would give up. I an well aware they need to work it out, but injury is a real risk based on how many fights I broke up. I pulled the silkie into a crate last evening and put him on the roost with the others once they were asleep. As of today, the aggression has shifted and she no longer defends herself. He is keeping her in a nest box and goes after her even when I brought them out to free range. She flies well and flew up high when I had them out, even then he patrolled under where she was perched. Her crop was empty when I felt her, so he was not allowing her to eat. I got her fed separately and her crop expanded like it should. This is very unusual to me, since he is focusing only on her. I plan to separate him into a different building tomorrow for at least a week and try reintroducing. Its hard to tell if this is motivated by him wanting to breed her, since he jumps on her back when he can catch her. Based on how fearful she is now, I don’t see her submitting anytime soon. Any advice here? He is so young and just started acting like a roo yesterday. They are my pets so culling either one is not an option. I’d like to find a behavioral solution. They are both nearly 5 months. Thank you!!

 

[tlcmurphy]

Hello, I could really use some help here. My pet brood I raised in the house are integrated with the adult flock. As of yesterday, my young silkie roo started crowing. He has started incessantly attacking my sumatra pullet, who he was raised with. The two of them have had a dominance thing since they were a few days old but always got along- she was always dominant to him. Yesterday when I discovered the crowing, they both started aggressing at each other, and neither would give up. I a well aware they need to work it out, but injury is a real risk based on how many fights I broke up. I pulled the silkie into a crate last evening and put him on the roost with the others once they were asleep. As of today, the aggression has shifted and she no longer defends herself. He is keeping her in a nest box and goes after her even when I brought them out to free range. She flies well and flew up high when I had them out, even then he patrolled under where she was perched. Her crop was empty when I felt her, so he was not allowing her to eat. I got her fed separately and her crop expanded like it should. This is very unusual to me, since he is focusing only on her. I plan to separate him into a different building tomorrow for at least a week and try reintroducing. Its hard to tell if this is motivated by him wanting to breed her, since he jumps on her back when he can catch her. Based on how fearful she is now, I don’t see her submitting anytime soon. Any advice here? He is so young and just started acting like a roo yesterday. They are my pets so culling either one is not an option. I’d like to find a behavioral solution. They are both nearly 5 months. Thank you!!

Pics please. Are you sure she is a she? Sounds like you may have 2 cockerels.

 

[Fancychicken10]

Pics please. Are you sure she is a she? Sounds like you may have 2 cockerels.

I DNA sexed all of them so she is definitely female. If I had not, that would be my guess as well.

 

[Fancychicken10]

I DNA sexed all of them so she is definitely female. If I had not, that would be my guess as well.

This is her though with the Andalusian (all raised together). The Andalusian is his favorite of all the birds and he accepts when she walks away from his breeding attempts.