Cockerel picking on pullets

[NellaBean]

My 12-13 week old Jersey Giant cockerel (who lives up to the breed name, wow) is kept with 11 pullets. 5 that were from his same group (1 JG, 2 white leghorns, 2 buttercups) that he is good with, and 6 cochins that were added to their group a couple months ago and are 1 week younger. He still keeps the cochins from eating at the same time and won't let them on the top roost. He does not chase and attack them, but pecks them in the head (hard) when they are too close to him. Repeatedly until they leave.

I know Jersey Giants are slow maturing....he has only really started trying to crow this week and I have yet to catch him making any moves on his ladies. Will this improve as he gets more "cocky" with age? Or will he always "shun" the cochins?


This picture is really dark (bedtime!) but shows my JG cockerel standing next to the smallest (banty?) cochin. The cochin really wanted that top shelf but the JG was pecking him good trying to get her off. I finally moved her myself farther away from him.

He is not overly aggressive to them, just does not want them right up next to him eating or roosting. He lets "his girls" do whatever they want.

Will this change? Or do I need a cochin roo now? Ha ha ha.

 

[gritsar]

IMO, he's just putting them in their place in the pecking order. It's natural for him to do this and I wouldn't interfere unless it gets to the point of blood being drawn.

 

[cmom]

I had some hens that didn't want to let the pullets near the feed, so I put another feeder and waterer in their run.

 

[NellaBean]

It's not necessarily food related......he is just really adamant about the pecking order, I guess. I hear all of these stories about Roosters being so great to their girls and bringing or calling them for treats and breaking up scuffles.....and then my rooster is making half the girls be 2nd rate citizens.

He does not attack them....just puts them in their place (below him, ha ha). He does not ever run them down just to be mean, just pecks them if they are not doing what he thinks they should be doing.

I have only one feeder, but also throw feed down on the ground so that until the top 6 are done with the feeder, the bottom 6 can just eat off the ground. Once the "new food yay" has worn off, they can share the feeder with anyone but the cockerel.

I'm sure it does not help that my cochins are big wimps who squawk and scream and start running around any time the big kids even bump into them......