Are your EE roosters rough on the hens?

[trunkman]

This is the second time I've had EE's and the second time that I've noticed that the young EE roosters seem to be rough on the EE hens, instead of doing the usual dance to impress the hens they just grab the hens by the comb or neck and try to do their thing. Is it their nature or are they just stupid. Every night before putting them to bed it seems there is a war going on in the coop and run and I've noticed it's the roos going after the pullets, it's almost unnerving and makes me want to get rid of the roos. Do any of you have this problem? I'm thinking of culling it's so bad.

 

[ranchhand]

Keyword there is young. Once they mature and get the hang of things they will probably become nicer. Every now and one there's one who never learns, he gets to go away.

Is it possibly related to competition, since you have more than one?

 

[greenSearcher]

I had three EE roos from last falls' babies, and they had testosterone poisoning something fierce until just recently. I gave the best one his own harem about 8 weeks ago and he has grown into a good rooster. He has 8 hens and 3 silkie roos under his watch. The girls show a little wear on their heads, I suspect that is from the silkies, but their backs look pretty good. He keeps all his chickens safe and protects them from the other roos. I literally sent one of the other EE roos to a new home a few minutes ago, thus saving his life. I hope to get a response to the CL ad and place the last roo in a new home tomorrow or the next day. The poor guy is outside looking for his buddy and calling for him, makes me so sad, but I have to rehome him for the health of the flock. But from my observations, the EE roos do improve.

 

[trunkman]

Thanks for the input, they seem so rough! I purchased them as day old chicks in Feb and have about ten roos and twelve hens, there is way too much commotion, most of the roos have to go...