Alpha Rooster is dead, flock is acting ODD!

[OzarkChooks]

Ok so over a month ago my husband culled one of our roosters due to aggression. Ever since then, the pullets (6 month old) have been acting strange. There is still another rooster for them, but it doesn't seem to matter. All of them stopped laying the day after Jefferson was culled. Since then only two have resumed laying. Also, the previously docile beta rooster is now the only rooster and is not docile anymore. Is this normal behavior?

 

[50-45-1]

Yes it's normal that your remaing rooster is now acting up.
Before, he was kept in check by the alfalfa rooster. Now with nothing to subdue him he is going all out randy teenager on the hens. Probably chasing them down, pulling feathers and giving them no rest.
He may also turn human aggresive and will need watching closely.
Was he related to your first rooster?
If you have small children I do not recommend a rooster unless they (the chickens) are confined.
So sorry that your family was hurt.
Like many folks right now, I am having to butcher my extra roosters as I can find them no homes
No need to keep a bad rooster when so many nice ones are avaliable.
Good luck!

 

[OzarkChooks]

He flogged my kids, my mother and myself. Flogged my kids multiple times. Bit and flogged my 5 year old and drew blood on her legs and arms right in front of my husband. My husband said it was game over after that. He was very rough with the pullets so I find it weird that they are so affected by his absence.

 

[ElizaMay]

He flogged my kids, my mother and myself. Flogged my kids multiple times. Bit and flogged my 5 year old and drew blood on her legs and arms right in front of my husband. My husband said it was game over after that. He was very rough with the pullets so I find it weird that they are so affected by his absence.

Do not blame you one single jot for culling.
Maybe the culling coincided with the shortening of the days, and is part of a rest cycle and seasonal? Do you have a light for them? Or are they moulting?
Rest assured they will recover, whatever the reason.

 

[JedJackson]

Losing the head rooster will change a flocks dynamics, and chickens don't like change. They should sort it out eventually.

Or it may be that the timing of the alpha rooster's culling coincided with something else that is causing the hens to stop laying. Lice and mites have been mentioned. But it could be something else, too. Even something as small as a change in feed or something new being placed in the coop can set them off. So a little investigation on your part might find a different cause for the problem.

As for aggressive roosters, you did the right thing and I think you should cull the current one, too, since he attacks people. If the young replacement you have in mind is related to the other two then it might be time to start fresh and bring in an unrelated rooster. Aggression in roosters can be hereditary.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Since it has been a month and your birds are still to young for the big fall molt it's time to inspect for bugs.
If they have mites feeding on them at night or lice that can put them off laying.

 

[Tonyroo]

Chickens know when a member of the flock suddenly disappears. So they stop behaving normally. And act like there lost or on guard. Takes several days for that behavior to fade.

It happened to me everytime I culled the older cockerels.

 

[ElizaMay]

I culled 2 birds yesyerday, a silky rooster abusing one particular hen (the only one his stubby little legs coult catch) and a PITA cockerel doing the same to bantam hens for the same reason, because he couldn't catch the mature hens... Culled both in front of the flock, plucked and clezned them in our yard in front of the flock. The hens were next to us picking through the guts and feathers and fighting over scraps, so it did not bother or frighten them here for any period of time. I collected eggs this afternoon.

 

[McChooky]

I culled 2 birds yesyerday, a silky rooster abusing one particular hen (the only one his stubby little legs coult catch) and a PITA cockerel doing the same to bantam hens for the same reason, because he couldn't catch the mature hens... Culled both in front of the flock, plucked and clezned them in our yard in front of the flock. The hens were next to us picking through the guts and feathers and fighting over scraps, so it did not bother or frighten them here for any period of time. I collected eggs this afternoon.

Brutal but well played! Doesn't sound like your flock liked him a lot !

 

[OzarkChooks]

Think you need a friendly replacement.

Oh dear. I thought maybe he was just acting out since the other rooster is gone now. One of our 10 week old chicks is a cockerel.... looks like he may end up taking our current one's place.