Cockerel behavioral issues

At that age in that situation his behavior sounds pretty typical. I raise several cockerels and pullets with the flock, usually 4 or 5 broods per year. Some are brooder-raised and some broody-raised. Typically when my cockerels reach puberty they bother the pullets their age first and the dominant rooster ignores that. But eventually one starts bothering his hens, he does not like that. If the dominant rooster is in the area he'll chase the boy away. If a hen is out by herself and a cockerel starts bothering her she runs to the dominant rooster who handles the situation. He usually does not chase the cockerel down and beat him up, he just runs him off. One year I did have a dominant rooster that did a lot of chasing but that cockerel needed a good spanking anyway. Each year is different in some aspects.

I usually eat the boys (or the dominant rooster) before a cockerel is old enough to really challenge him. At some point Junior will probably mature enough to challenge the dominant rooster but until then expect to see more chasing and running away. Sometimes they fight to the death when they do fight or one might get seriously injured. Often they reach an accommodation on how to take care of the flock together. The more room you have the better your odds of it working out. But I suggest you have a plan so you can immediately separate one of the two boys if you need to. Even if you have an all-hen flock I think you need something like that.

Occasionally a cockerel (or pullet, or another hen) threatens a broody's babies. Immature cockerels are probably the worst. My broody hens have never failed to protect their babies. I won't say the broody hen whips butt, she often doesn't get the chance. A mad broody hen is so scary the others run away before she has a chance, even if they are bigger. It usually doesn't take long before they learn to leave her babies alone. Not long at all. Some people say their broody hens don't protect their babies. I certainly believe that can happen but I haven't seen it.

I have no idea how your situation will work out in any aspect. With living animals I can't give guarantees with respect to behaviors. What you describe is very familiar, it happens every year with my flock. My suggestion is to observe and base your actions on what you see.

If you want to keep him, consider building a separate coop and run for him and keep him isolated if you need to. Many breeders do that type of thing if the boys can't stay together in the main flock outside of breeding season. If you are going to breed him to certain hens you'll need a breeding pen anyway.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
At that age in that situation his behavior sounds pretty typical. I raise several cockerels and pullets with the flock, usually 4 or 5 broods per year. Some are brooder-raised and some broody-raised. Typically when my cockerels reach puberty they bother the pullets their age first and the dominant rooster ignores that. But eventually one starts bothering his hens, he does not like that. If the dominant rooster is in the area he'll chase the boy away. If a hen is out by herself and a cockerel starts bothering her she runs to the dominant rooster who handles the situation. He usually does not chase the cockerel down and beat him up, he just runs him off. One year I did have a dominant rooster that did a lot of chasing but that cockerel needed a good spanking anyway. Each year is different in some aspects.

I usually eat the boys (or the dominant rooster) before a cockerel is old enough to really challenge him. At some point Junior will probably mature enough to challenge the dominant rooster but until then expect to see more chasing and running away. Sometimes they fight to the death when they do fight or one might get seriously injured. Often they reach an accommodation on how to take care of the flock together. The more room you have the better your odds of it working out. But I suggest you have a plan so you can immediately separate one of the two boys if you need to. Even if you have an all-hen flock I think you need something like that.

Occasionally a cockerel (or pullet, or another hen) threatens a broody's babies. Immature cockerels are probably the worst. My broody hens have never failed to protect their babies. I won't say the broody hen whips butt, she often doesn't get the chance. A mad broody hen is so scary the others run away before she has a chance, even if they are bigger. It usually doesn't take long before they learn to leave her babies alone. Not long at all. Some people say their broody hens don't protect their babies. I certainly believe that can happen but I haven't seen it.

I have no idea how your situation will work out in any aspect. With living animals I can't give guarantees with respect to behaviors. What you describe is very familiar, it happens every year with my flock. My suggestion is to observe and base your actions on what you see.

If you want to keep him, consider building a separate coop and run for him and keep him isolated if you need to. Many breeders do that type of thing if the boys can't stay together in the main flock outside of breeding season. If you are going to breed him to certain hens you'll need a breeding pen anyway.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Very helpful. Thank you!
 
One year I did have a dominant rooster that did a lot of chasing but that cockerel needed a good spanking anyway.

I had to laugh at this because I was kind of thinking the same thing when I was watching the cockerel this morning. He was just causing trouble, the hens were running to the rooster for safety, and he would just wait until the hens left the rooster's side to terrorize the poor girls again. :rolleyes: My rooster will run and chase him away occasionally, but no fighting so far (I know it's coming). The young boy also gets upset when my rooster mates the hens. The other morning I saw my rooster mating a hen, and the cockerel was on top of the rooster while this was happening. :lau
 
I added a new cockerel to my flock about two weeks ago. He was added to a flock of 9 hens and another rooster. Things were going fine for awhile but now I see him misbehaving quite a bit. He has been terrorizing the hens, stalking them, trying to mate with them in an aggressive way that they don’t like. The hens have been clinging to my rooster for protection. Today I saw the cockerel peck at one of the chicks (I have momma hens and chicks in the flock too).

There hasn’t been a lot of fighting between the boys which I’m happy about but I’m worried about the new guys temperament. Do you think he’s just young (4-5 months), hormonal, and too eager to mate?
Oh my.. adding a ‘foreign‘ roo to the flock? I’m surprised one of them isn’t dead yet. And yes, roosters in their first year will be, nit trying to be insensitive here, but the word ‘rapey’ comes to mind. They are really not good boys until they have a year or so under their wings, so to speak. I have had young roosters kill hens they are so thoughtless when it comes to mating. I have had roosters kill chicks too. I would pen him up separately if you just ‘want’ him. Give him a year to settle his raging hormones, but I strongly advise not letting him roam with your other rooster. They will do what they were designed to do.
 
I saw my rooster mating a hen, and the cockerel was on top of the rooster while this was happening. :lau

Well, he's just a teenager being a teenager, but this is how hens get injured. The mating rooster will hold on with his feet potentially tearing beneath the hen's wings on their side. This may be a significant problem.
 
Well, he's just a teenager being a teenager, but this is how hens get injured. The mating rooster will hold on with his feet potentially tearing beneath the hen's wings on their side. This may be a significant problem.
It's not been a problem with mine but it can happen. Another place you can get an injury is the back of the head. Part of the mating act is when the male grabs the back of the girl's head. This tells her to raise her tail out of the way so he can hit the target. He grabs the back of her head an she instinctively rises her tail. If he is too rough or has bad technique he can tear her comb or skin. Again, I've not had a problem with this but it can happen.

Lots of things can happen, doesn't mean it always does. That's why you observe and take action if you need to.
 
Lots of things can happen, doesn't mean it always does. That's why you observe and take action if you need to.

Agree 100%. This is exactly why I have a backup plan in case it doesn't work out. Too many generalized assumptions about roosters IMO. I know the risks and I'm aware that there could be a problem. But every bird, every set up, every situation is different. Plenty of people have more than one rooster in their flock.
 
Agree 100%. This is exactly why I have a backup plan in case it doesn't work out. Too many generalized assumptions about roosters IMO. I know the risks and I'm aware that there could be a problem. But every bird, every set up, every situation is different. Plenty of people have more than one rooster in their flock.
Ya I have two roosters. Both different breeds but they are the same age. I have a brahm and a road island red. The brahm is the boss but that doesn't stop the other one from sneaking in a bit of love to a hen or two. The boys do fight but it never last more then a second or two. More then not the brahm just gives the other guy a good run.
What breeds are your boys?
 
Just wondering how it all has worked out for you @Matilda Belle ?
He is doing much better! The two boys get along great and he is learning to romance the girls and take a more delicate approach with them. The mating issue also seems to have resolved. Both are able to mate the hens without any issues. I think I got lucky!
 

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