Cockerel pecking at mother hen and chicks

[mspower32]

Hello I'm looking for some advice, my cockerel is pecking at my six week old chicks and their mother while in the coop even though it's dark and everyone should be sleeping, he chased momma hen and she crouched down to let him mount her but all he done was pull some feathers from her back 2 times and then left her be, she seems quite scared of him and momma and the chicks avoid him, they were all sleeping in the coop but the chicks don't seem to want to go in coop anymore and the momma and chicks are roosting on the roof of the coop, so I put them into the coop to see what happens and hes pecking at them, I didn't like his behaviour so I put momma and chicks back into their nursery which is divided by wire from the main run but everyone has been able to see each other since the chicks hatched, I haven't seen the cockerel do this when they are in the run only in the coop when they all go the roost, during the daytime momma stays in the run with her chicks and the cockerel and other hens free range in the garden before comeing up to the sandring and barn, about a week ago momma and the chicks started roosting in the main coop and observing them to make sure they were all getting along I seen this behaviour, is it because momma is not laying yet that the cockerel is pecking at her, why did he not mount her when she crouched for him, should I keep them seperate from the flock longer, is this normal behaviour, momma and the chicks have no wounds even though they have all been in the run together for short periods as I have been trying to integrate them, they have spent 4 or 5 nights together in the coop still no sign of injuries but momma just looks scared, thanks for any advice, momma was a new hen and wasn't part of my flock before she hatched the eggs, my hens have accepted her and the chicks apart from hens passing few packs at the chicks every now and then if they get in their way, sorry for long post and thanks for any advice in advance.
Just to add that the cockerel is a gentle one, he is very friendly and I've never had any trouble from him, he sits overhead where momma and the chicks are in the coop and pecks downwards at them trying to peck the momma mostly on the head but also tries to peck at the chicks, momma and the chicks decided that they didn't want the nursery anymore about a week ago and started sleeping in the coop, a few nights later I found them roosting on the roof of the coop which is not ideal and they get upset when I take them down from the roof.

 

[LaFleche]

How old is your rooster?

A really good rooster should care for the mother hen and her chicks, protect them and call them for food etc. And if he does not do so, at least he should ignore them.

An adult rooster chasing and pecking chicks away and mother hen away is not acceptable for me and would soon go to freezer camp.

 

[mspower32]

How old is your rooster?

A really good rooster should care for the mother hen and her chicks, protect them and call them for food etc. And if he does not do so, at least he should ignore them.

An adult rooster chasing and pecking chicks away and mother hen away is not acceptable for me and would soon go to freezer camp.

Hi my rooster is 3 1/2 years old, this behaviour is only happening when in the coop, and the one time this evening when I seen him chase her and pull feathers from her back but then he left her be, he dosent chase the chicks at all and if their in the run together he dosent bother them. The chicks are his babies but I got the momma hen from my sister and placed his fertile eggs under her six weeks ago because she was broody, she is my hen now.

 

[mspower32]

How old is your rooster?

A really good rooster should care for the mother hen and her chicks, protect them and call them for food etc. And if he does not do so, at least he should ignore them.

An adult rooster chasing and pecking chicks away and mother hen away is not acceptable for me and would soon go to freezer camp.

Also to add the rooster is very friendly to all the other hens and humans, he does exactly what he is told comes to the barn when I call him , goes to his coop when I tell him etc..... he is very precious to me so I would really like to have them all get along, maybe keeping them seperate for longer might improve the situation hopefully

 

[LaFleche]

Hi my rooster is 3 1/2 years old, this behaviour is only happening when in the coop, and the one time this evening when I seen him chase her and pull feathers from her back but then he left her be, he dosent chase the chicks at all and if their in the run together he dosent bother them. The chicks are his babies but I got the momma hen from my sister and placed his fertile eggs under her six weeks ago because she was broody, she is my hen now.

my cockerel is pecking at my six week old chicks and their mother while in the coop even though it's dark and everyone should be sleeping, he chased momma hen

she seems quite scared of him and momma and the chicks avoid him, they were all sleeping in the coop but the chicks don't seem to want to go in coop anymore and the momma and chicks are roosting on the roof of the coop, so I put them into the coop to see what happens and hes pecking at them,

This is somewhat contradictory.

 

[LaFleche]

Also to add the rooster is very friendly to all the other hens and humans, he does exactly what he is told comes to the barn when I call him , goes to his coop when I tell him etc..... he is very precious to me so I would really like to have them all get along, maybe keeping them seperate for longer might improve the situation hopefully

I am not telling you to cull the rooster. And if you think that his behaviour is acceptable for you and your situation, just do as you want and hopefully they will all learn to get along.

I just stated that for me a rooster showing the behaviour you described would be in my freezer pretty soon.

 

[DoubleYolk123]

I personally haven’t had experience with roosters, but my friends have and I must say I’m very confused... First is he chasing the chicks or the hen? If it’s the chicks then mother hen should do the job as protector, but if she isn’t or she is under attack I separate till the chicks are old enough to take it or defend themselves.
Or to prevent her losing her rank and the chicks getting bullied by the other hens, you could separate the rooster instead till the chicks are older

 

[mspower32]

I am not telling you to cull the rooster. And if you think that his behaviour is acceptable for you and your situation, just do as you want and hopefully they will all learn to get along.

I just stated that for me a rooster showing the behaviour you described would be in my freezer pretty soon.

I really appreciate your advice, I hope I didn't offend, I only have chickens a year and a half so my experience is limited when it comes to raising chicks, I don't accept his behaviour, I'm actually very disappointed with his behaviour , I posted the thread for help from people with more experience like yourself so thank you for replying, I will observe closely and give him more time but this is new behaviour from him and again I agree it's not acceptable at all.

 

[LaFleche]

I really appreciate your advice, I hope I didn't offend, I only have chickens a year and a half so my experience is limited when it comes to raising chicks, I don't accept his behaviour, I'm actually very disappointed with his behaviour , I posted the thread for help from people with more experience like yourself so thank you for replying, I will observe closely and give him more time but this is new behaviour from him and again I agree it's not acceptable at all.

You did not offend me, do not worry.

You could try to keep him separated for the night so the mother hen and her chicks can go into the coop without being pecked or chased off by him. And in the morning set him free and let him run with the entire flock during the day.

 

[mspower32]

I personally haven’t had experience with roosters, but my friends have and I must say I’m very confused... First is he chasing the chicks or the hen? If it’s the chicks then mother hen should do the job as protector, but if she isn’t or she is under attack I separate till the chicks are old enough to take it or defend themselves.
Or to prevent her losing her rank and the chicks getting bullied by the other hens, you could separate the rooster instead till the chicks are older

Hi thank you for replying, no he dosent chase the chicks, he is pecking at momma hen in the coop, he roosts overhead her and is pecking down at her, there is a wooden shelf between her and him but he is pecking downwards at her and if the chicks come out of the nest box hes pecking at them like hes sending them back into the nest with momma, he chased her this evening once she crouched for him to mount her but instead he pecked at her back pulling out some feathers and then he went into the coop left her be, yes I'm going to keep them in the nursery for another few weeks and try again, he dosent bother with momma hen and chicks in the run during daytime only displaying this behaviour when it's time to go into the coop and inside the coop but he has displayed this behaviour few nights ago but they were unharmed the following morning so I thought everything was okay until tonight I wasn't happy with his behaviour I witnessed in the coop so I removed momma and chicks and put them back in the nursery. To add yes I'm worried about her losing her rank , the hens dont argue with her, she took over the main coop last week when she and her chicks started roosting in there of their own choice, she threw the other hens out and took the best nest box, maybe the cockerel is not happy that she threw his hens out, the behaviour he is displaying could it be the pecking order? As he is the boss and it's his coop ?? This behaviour is only happening when it's time to go into the coop, It does look like he is showing her he is the boss??