cockerel behavior

[emmyeagle]

Our 20 week old bantam black cochin boy is really mean to the girls. Grabs them by the neck or back of their head. The girls squack up a storm until they get away. Very sweet otherwise. Is this normal "teenager" behavior? Will he learn to be nicer? My 1 yr old roo is very nice to his hen & doesn't even notice the young girls...yet.

 

[BantamLover21]

Our 20 week old bantam black cochin boy is really mean to the girls. Grabs them by the neck or back of their head. The girls squack up a storm until they get away. Very sweet otherwise. Is this normal "teenager" behavior? Will he learn to be nicer? My 1 yr old roo is very nice to his hen & doesn't even notice the young girls...yet.

Yes, this is pretty normal for young roosters. They get excited and try to mate any females they can, even resistant young pullets that aren't even laying. If the pullet doesn't want to be bred, she pulls away from the cockerel, squawking because the cockerel is pulling her feathers. Most roosters that I've had grow out of this behavior as they get older (or the hens learn to avoid them).

 

[emmyeagle]

Oh good. He is such a sweety. My other 2 cockerels aren't yet interested. Trying to re home the two big ones.