Are roosters dangerous to their offspring? (MANY questions)

[Morgan7782]

When you have a broody hen have hatchlings, does the rooster become aggresive toward the new chicks? How about any OTHER roosters you have? Are there any dangers having a hen raise chicks with roo's around? Both those that are and are NOT the father? Do they know who the father rooster is?

Thanks.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

A lot of it depends on the breed, the individual traits that each rooster has, and other various factors. It basically boils down to whether or not you feel like taking the risk that you could possibly lose chicks if you leave them in with the flock. If you have penned birds, it's more dangerous than if you had a complete free ranging flock. I've never had a problem with losing chicks to other chickens when I allowed free ranging. If in a pen, I usually ended up losing some. Mostly by accident, as they'd get stepped on by the bigger adult birds when they ventured to far away from their mama.

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

they dont know who there father is and most people keep there broodys who hatch eggs in a seperate pen when there doing so

 

[Morgan7782]

Alright thanks for the input! Do hens protect their brood when you finally reintroduce them to the main flock?

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Most barnyard hens will start weaning chicks away from them when the chicks are fully feathered, so I wouldn't count on the hen defending them after that.

 

[Lollipop]

Just wanna add a little from my experiences. Young roosters, like under a year, and any hens/pullets, are a danger to chicks. Mature cocks are great with younger birds of most any age. Most mother hens will do their best to protect their young until they are weened, which is after they are feathered as stated above. Some are not capable, but most are. I base this on years of penning my weenlings with a mature cock so he can police the young game stags. The idea is that if anyone is gonna kick butt, it`s gonna be the cock. The cock is almost without exception, great with young birds. It`s worked well for me for a lot of years. I can usually keep the little killers together til they are 7-8 months old. There are exceptions, but just watch your chicks around young cockerals and females........Pop

 

[columbiacritter]

I just removed my roos and non broody hens to another pen since someone is killign chicks as fast as they hatch. If it's the broodies then there's not much I can do. This is the first hatch fo rthese Japanese. I doubt I will let them try again if they keep kilign their babies. Next year fingers crossed I will get an incubator and go that route.

 

[Panhanle RIR]

no my RIR roo protects the broody and babies from other hens roos and geese

 

[PrinceSandwich]

I have a pair of white silkies and there babies penned up. The rooster seems to just ignore the babies.

 

[Morgan7782]

Interesting variables! Guess it depends on individual roosters and flocks. thanks for the info

I am not brooding chicks anytime soon but I love learning all I can.