Chicken Bullying

[myersfamily3]

My son got 10 Ameraucana chicks from TSC well I think we have ended up with 1 hen and 9 roosters!! A friend gave us another hen (not sure what breed- yellow with yellow feet- very sweet) but a couple of the Ameraucana roosters will charge her like a bull if they see her across the yard. They have all grown up together and this has just started. Needless to say I am trying to get rid of the roosters especially the ones that are being mean. I am very protective of our little Corey and she usually stays hidden under the butterfly bush but if they see her it's like they go crazy. I told my son I didn't know if they were trying to be her boyfriend (pointed out that is not how you are supposed to treat a lady) or trying to kill her. Is this normal behavior?

 

[JNB]

Ill pass on what I have been told...ANYTIME you have multiple Roos it can be trouble

. I t. can be done with LOTS of space or separate coops. The boys compete for the girls affection so to speak and also try to dominate. Some are very aggressive and can and will hurt the hens or other Roos because of fights. Others more gentle are the ones you want to keep if you want a Roo in your group. Like you said this is new behavior since they were raised together.... I'm thinking its a dominance thing.

 

[myersfamily3]

Thanks for the insight......however a red fox seemed to love my little Corey as much as I did!! And now I have seen it lurking around for the rest. We did get their pen built though so they aren't roaming the field all day anymore. I just hope the fence stops the fox so we don't have to take other measures.