Could some one explain pecking.

[ginbart]

I have a roo thats bitting my hens necks and he's not letting go. If I don't come over and stop him he will not let go. He is 13 weeks old. How will I know what is ok for pecking? How long should it last?

thanks.

 

[arlee453]

Sounds like you have a roo in puberty. Grabbing the neck and holding on is foreplay for chickens.

Teenage roosters, much like teenage boys of all species have a lot of enthusiasm but not much finesse.

If he is actually hurting the hens, you may have to separate him for a while until he matures a bit. If he's not drawing blood or making them bald then he'll eventually get it right...

 

[MissPrissy]

Yep, he is fumbling around and trying to figure out the mating urge. It makes them aggressive like that.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Just let him work out his "techinique". As long as your hens aren't getting visible injuries, they're fine. Sometimes seperated them until they are older makes it worse, because now you have a larger, stronger overzealous loving roo that doesn't know what he's doing instead of a youngster.

They'll be fine. He's trying to "figure it out". That's all.

-Kim

 

[ginbart]

Boy, it sure seems like he is hurting them and he is bigger then the hens. He was a barn yard mix I hatched and my hens are RIR's. I found a dead hen

in the pen and didn't know what happened. I thought he may have done it.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Did the dead hen have bruises or other injuries? Usually you will see signs of over aggression before a death.

I think if he had over-mated them, they would be missing feathers and have the back of the necks torn up.

If you think the rooster may have done it, will you describe exactly, in great detail, how he is grabbing the hens.

How many hens do you have? How old are the hens?

Not trying to be annoying, just trying to figure out what is going on. I'm guessing the hen died of something else and it just happened to coincide with the rooster's awkward learning period.

-Kim

 

[ginbart]

Where do I start, he will be 14 weeks on Sunday. We saw nothing on the hen. I have the 14 week olds in the barn, thats him. and the 8 week olds out in a shed.

I let them free grange from morning to night

I just checked my calendar and realized the hen is only 8 weeks old but are the same size as the 14 week old RIR's

Anyway he got in the run and in the shed. We are not sure he killed her. But when he grabs them he goes for the neck. He's not on top of them only pulling from the side. I have about 10 hens and 2 roosters. All the hens are RIR's and RIW's.

But he is a large banty (spelling). Twice the size of the Reds.

I think you may be right about the hen dieing of something else.

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
I am confused here. Bantams (your 'banty' reference) are really small chickens.

I have never seen a bantam anything be twice the size of a 14 week old RIR.

Do you mean he is half the size??

Show us a photo please.

 

[ginbart]

Ok give me a minute or two.

 

[ginbart]

He's the black and white one.

I have to go to work so I won't be able to answer any questions until tomorrow.

And yes that's a Honey Comb under the one on the left. That's the only way I can get them to come is with their treats. LOL Oh and a couple of mulberrys.