Bullying

[Jmerilli]

Back story on chickens. I have 7 chickens total. 2 I got in April and are full size. 5 I got in May 3 are full size and 2 are bantams. 1 of my bantams is a buff Cochin rooster(he’s the only rooster) and the other is a oegb. Today I was checking on them and my Cochin bantam rooster has what looks like dried blood on his comb and waddle. This is the first time I’ve seen it. Could the hens be pecking at him because he’s smaller? He’s about half the size of the hens. What should I do? I’m really worried about him. I do have another coop I could put him in for a little bit I don’t really want to isolate him from the flock. Thanks for the advice!!

 

[sourland]

Damage is minimal. I'd leave him with the flock. Very likely he is interested in breeding the hens, and they are just teaching him manners.

 

[nuthatched]

They're just some pecking marks, nothing serious. Leave him in there, it normal for the pecking order.

 

[Ridgerunner]

he’s the only rooster

You don't have a rooster, you have an immature cockerel. Your girls are immature pullets too, not mature hens. The behaviors of juveniles can be quite different from the behaviors of mature chickens. I think that's part of what you are seeing. And two of your pullets are a month older than the cockerel. They are probably the ones doing the damage.

Could the hens be pecking at him because he’s smaller?

Anything is possible but that's unlikely. Sometimes older, more mature chickens will beat up less mature chickens. Sometimes older girls like to beat up on younger boys. Size generally doesn't have anything to do with it, it's more maturity level and sex.

I assume they have been together for several weeks if not months and this is the first problems you have seen. He is getting close to 4 months old. My guess is that his hormones are hitting and he is showing interest in mating the girls. The two older girls probably told him "No".

What should I do?

I'm not sure what your facilities look like or how big they are. Usually the more room the better. More room gives you more flexibility in what you can do and gives them more room to separate if there is conflict, let alone room to avoid each other to start with.

I agree, the damage doesn't look bad. You have that second coop if you need it in an emergency. I'd wait and see how it goes. Sometimes it actually isn't that bad as they go through puberty on the way to adulthood. Sometimes it gets really rough. You may change your mind about separating him from the flock.

 

[Jmerilli]

You don't have a rooster, you have an immature cockerel. Your girls are immature pullets too, not mature hens. The behaviors of juveniles can be quite different from the behaviors of mature chickens. I think that's part of what you are seeing. And two of your pullets are a month older than the cockerel. They are probably the ones doing the damage.


Anything is possible but that's unlikely. Sometimes older, more mature chickens will beat up less mature chickens. Sometimes older girls like to beat up on younger boys. Size generally doesn't have anything to do with it, it's more maturity level and sex.

I assume they have been together for several weeks if not months and this is the first problems you have seen. He is getting close to 4 months old. My guess is that his hormones are hitting and he is showing interest in mating the girls. The two older girls probably told him "No".


I'm not sure what your facilities look like or how big they are. Usually the more room the better. More room gives you more flexibility in what you can do and gives them more room to separate if there is conflict, let alone room to avoid each other to start with.

I agree, the damage doesn't look bad. You have that second coop if you need it in an emergency. I'd wait and see how it goes. Sometimes it actually isn't that bad as they go through puberty on the way to adulthood. Sometimes it gets really rough. You may change your mind about separating him from the flock.

I have a 24 sq ft coop and a 72 sq ft run attached for the 7 of them. They have been together for about a month and this is the first time I’ve seen this. I have seen the older ones peck at the younger ones but never drawing blood. I haven’t separated him yet but people keep telling me if there’s blood to separate them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I haven’t separated him yet but people keep telling me if there’s blood to separate them.

A little pecking damage isn't enough reason to separate them. If you see larger injuries, that's when you should be concerned.

Also be aware that head injuries can bleed a lot even if they're minor. I had a hen with a wound near her eye that caused bleeding all over her face and down her neck... separated her for 1 afternoon to let things scab and she was fine to put back by the next day.

 

[aart]

I have a 24 sq ft coop and a 72 sq ft run attached for the 7 of them.

Tho it meets the oft recommended space minimums,
more space would be better.
How old are all these birds, in weeks or months?

 

[Jmerilli]

Tho it meets the oft recommended space minimums,
more space would be better.
How old are all these birds, in weeks or months?

Well, this is the space we have for them. There’s nothing we can do to improve that. The oldest 2 are 21 weeks. The other 5 are Including the rooster are 16 weeks.