Cockerel behaviour

[pepparaaraa]

Argh start again as my post wiped before I'd finished.
I have 2 chicks, 9 weeks old, one of each sex.
He kinda pecked at her neck today over a snack, and I didn't like it. Is this his meaner side coming out as he gets older? Is this behaviour just going to get worse?
It didn't stop her trying to get the food off of him so I wasn't sure if it's that there is no clear boss, although, he's way bigger and does seem to try and be the boss.
Also, he's very skittish, ever since we got him. I've had her out and she falls asleep on me and he goes crazy in the coop/run so I tried him and he just panicked and flapped about. He actually looked wild so I made the kids stay out of the way.
Also They peck me if i put my hands in the run.
We've had them since a week old and used to get them out and handle them every day but since going in the run its hard to get them out as they run at any opening together, so I can't handle them too much.
I live in a bad area for free ranging so my dreams of free ranging them isn't working out. I have a stupid short (in height) run, I wanted a walk in one but my partner thought it was too much money to spend, but now I feel they won't be able to get used to me if I can't get in with them and they can't come out :/
Any suggestions and advice on the above behaviour welcome.
Oh and one last thing... I do want more hens but worried how he will react and it's making me think he will have to go but I don't want to think he will be someone's dinner. How easy is it to rehome a red star cockerel... I can't imagine they are in high demand :/

 

[Free Feather]

He does not sound mean. Pecking each other is just what chickens do, especially over treats, and girls will do it just as often if not more. When you say he "went wild" do you mean when you picked him up? If so, most chickens do not like to be picked up and they will flap about desperately, especially if they are not used to you as you say. He does not sound mean or bad at all. I think you might be overreacting a bit.
And no, re homing any cockerel is very hard to do if you do not want them eaten unless he is some rare breed that costs a lot of money. A red star will almost surely be eaten. I would keep him.

 

[keesmom]

Young birds will squabble with each other. They need to sort out their pecking order. That will happen no matter which gender(s) you have.

I am curious as to why you got a red sex link cockerel instead of 2 pullets.

My chicks tend to remain spazzy for a while before they hit maturity. They are prey and are relying on instinct so that doesn't surprise me. They do calm down as they mature.

If you have small kids I would advise against having a rooster. They can be unpredictable and can do a lot of damage to small children. As for his fate, you can try to rehome him. However this time of year there is an overabundance of unwanted cockerels.

 

[Free Feather]

Is there any way you can re do the run to make it larger and more accessible for you? How big is it? That would play a major role into getting more hens, too. More hens would be a good idea to keep the cockerel from over mating the one.
Why can you not free range?

 

[donrae]

I'm going to be pretty blunt here. If you're this distressed over a simple peck over food, you really shouldn't keep a cockerel. Chicken mating, especially when they're both young, is not usually a pretty picture. He'll grab her feathers or comb, sometimes drag her around, she'll usually scream and fight and have some feathers pulled out before they work things out and mate smoothly. It can take a few months and can be very distressing to folks not used to the earthier aspects of animal behavior. Especially since you have kiddos, I'm going to say sell him, give him away if you have do and don't ask what their plans are. There are worse things than a good life and one very bad day. Then you'll be able to get some more hens and have a calmer, productive flock.

 

[lazy gardener]

Ditto what Donrae said. Also, a rooster with a single hen is very bad news. Roosters are all about sex. And, when they're not thinking about it, they're doing it. He's gonna wear the feathers off the back and neck of your poor girl. It sounds like they are in a small coop and run. she'll have no relief from his advances. What are the dimensions of your coop and run? The bare minimum IMO would be 4 square feet in the coop, and 10 square feet in the run per bird.

 

[pepparaaraa]

So they are in a run that's 2.5m x 1m and the house is about 1m x 1m plus nesting boxes. It said for 4-6 birds but I only wanted 3 or 4 hens originally, however I don't think I could have anymore than the 2 I've got in there now without extending at least the run which I plan to do.
So I didn't know about the 1 rooster to 10 hens when I agreed to taking one of each but I am worried since reading up on it.
As for my term 'wild' that's perhaps dramatic but yes he didn't like being picked up and flapped about, scratching etc. so I put him down and he just charged about quite angry and looking at us like he might charge. I wasn't worried when it was just me, I just felt the kids weren't safe so sent them away. And the thing is even when they were handled as chicks he was jumpy.
Anyway, I guess it was the first time I'd seen him pecking her and it got me worried about mating and if he starts doing it more. I'm not sure I could stand the mating you are describing above to be honest but I don't want to get rid of him unduly. Is it better to have a separate house for him?
I did think it would be hard to rehome him
Ps. I got a cockerel as there weren't two pullets, so I knew you weren't supposed to have 1 on their own. But hadn't read the mating and rooster behaviour then, I thought the worst of it was the crowing.

 

[pepparaaraa]

Oh and they can't free range because the foxes are so bad here. Even if I was out there with them I'm not sure they'd be safe as they come about in the day too.
Also I've seen cats stalking them so I guess until they are fully grown even a cat could get them?

 

[keesmom]

So they are in a run that's 2.5m x 1m and the house is about 1m x 1m plus nesting boxes. It said for 4-6 birds but I only wanted 3 or 4 hens originally, however I don't think I could have anymore than the 2 I've got in there now without extending at least the run which I plan to do.
So I didn't know about the 1 rooster to 10 hens when I agreed to taking one of each but I am worried since reading up on it.
As for my term 'wild' that's perhaps dramatic but yes he didn't like being picked up and flapped about, scratching etc. so I put him down and he just charged about quite angry and looking at us like he might charge. I wasn't worried when it was just me, I just felt the kids weren't safe so sent them away. And the thing is even when they were handled as chicks he was jumpy.
Anyway, I guess it was the first time I'd seen him pecking her and it got me worried about mating and if he starts doing it more. I'm not sure I could stand the mating you are describing above to be honest but I don't want to get rid of him unduly. Is it better to have a separate house for him?
I did think it would be hard to rehome him

Ps. I got a cockerel as there weren't two pullets, so I knew you weren't supposed to have 1 on their own. But hadn't read the mating and rooster behaviour then, I thought the worst of it was the crowing.

That is a very small coop and run. You definitely cannot keep 4-6 chickens in that coop (as you already know). Sure you can enlarge the run but you also need to consider the days when the birds will be coop-bound.

If you are already nervous around him at this age you really shouldn't keep him, not even separately. Chickens do not do well alone. Find someone to take him and don't ask what the plans are for him. Like donrae said, there are worse things than a good life and one really bad day.

 

[Free Feather]

That is a very small coop and run. You definitely cannot keep 4-6 chickens in that coop (as you already know). Sure you can enlarge the run but you also need to consider the days when the birds will be coop-bound.

If you are already nervous around him at this age you really shouldn't keep him, not even separately. Chickens do not do well alone. Find someone to take him and don't ask what the plans are for him. Like donrae said, there are worse things than a good life and one really bad day.

Where are you seeing that he had a good life?

Ditto on the lack of space. Without free ranging, two would be cramped in there. If you want six, the coop needs to be at least 24 square feet, and the run would need to be like 1000 square feet to keep the plants alive and the chickens happy. Most would say 60 square feet in the run would be okay, but then there would be NO plants, and the chickens would be horribly bored and could start fighting.