Cockerel question again.

[Rose the Legbar]

I have this cockerel who I think is 24 weeks old by this point. He only really mates one hen but he always forces himself on her and she screams LOUD every time. Like the “I’m being murdered” sort of scream. She is also sort of going bald at this point from him too. He does sometimes wing dance for other hens and they always run from him until he forces himself on them. Or he just jumps on top of them. I know he is young but is this still normal? Will he grow out of it?

He tidbits sometimes. He would then be nice and give it to the hens or chase them away with a peck on the head or back. I enjoy handling him but he has scratched up my arm pretty badly from trying to get away after being grabbed. He also mounts my hens more and crows a ton whenever I am around.

I do want what’s best for my hens and if that means this cockerel goes, then so be it. I love having a roo but I hate having one that is mean to my girls and i know wont grow out of it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I wouldn't keep him.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

I wouldn't keep him.

Thank you for replying. Any specific reason why from the reasons I listed as I am curious the standard for a keeper and a non keeper.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Definitely get rid of him. 99% of cockerels that overbreed females are never going to get any better with age. They are just like that unfortunately. The cockerel you have is doing nothing good, he is only stressing out the females and hurting them. Hurting females it not what a male is supposed to be doing, his job is to protect them.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

He’s at the age when his hormones are really going haywire. He might settle down as he gets older, or he might not. Are your hens the same age as he is, or older? If they’re the same age, they might not be ready for his advances, but if they’re older, they likely don’t respect him enough to squat for him.

You should always solve for flock harmony. It sounds like he’s really disrupting that right now, so he probably needs to be separated. Whether that’s temporary or permanent depends on you, but I would definitely get him out of there. He’ll likely calm down away from the hens, but might act up again if you put him back in there, depending on how long you wait.

Mounting his hens and crowing more when you’re around is also a show of dominance, and means he might see you as a threat and become aggressive later on down the road. I would get him away from the hens, and see how he acts around you without them.

 

[sourland]

I'd separate him from the flock until both he and the pullets are more mature. After that if he doesn't settle down, he will make excellent chicken and dumplings.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

He is with 5 older hens (two are honestly stupid and he likes those two the most) and 3 pullets who he does sometimes go after. Thank you all for the suggestions and I will separate him to a 4ft by 4ft old brooder.

 

[Themellowyellows]

I would not keep him... He is abusing your hens, and they clearly do not like him. If a chicken does not squat immediately, then they do not like or want it, from that rooster.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you for replying. Any specific reason why from the reasons I listed as I am curious the standard for a keeper and a non keeper.

Yes, this:

He only really mates one hen but he always forces himself on her and she screams LOUD every time. Like the “I’m being murdered” sort of scream. She is also sort of going bald at this point from him too

A good rooster respects his hens and responds to their body language. He takes "no" for an answer. This little jerk keeps after this hen (pullet?) because she won't submit to him willingly. He will eventually do her a serious injury such as scalping her or even braining her. This is not about sex or breeding, it is about dominance. There are good roosters out there.* Your flock deserves better.

*I know because I have one. I wish I could clone him and make a million dollars selling them. I've also had bad ones. They don't, IME, get better.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I would not keep him... He is abusing your hens, and they clearly do not like him. If a chicken does not squat immediately, then they do not like or want it, from that rooster.

Exactly this. A male is supposed to care and provide for his females, not abuse them. He is supposed to stop mating when they clearly do not want to be mated. He is supposed to not chase them around the yard. And he is certainly not supposed to be making any bald patches on their feathers.